YouTube, under Google's ownership, resolves legal disputes regarding children's privacy violations.
Google has agreed to pay a $30 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit alleging it violated the privacy of children using YouTube. The lawsuit, filed by the parents or guardians of 34 children, accused Google of collecting personal information without parental consent.
The case, named C.H. et al v Google LLC et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 19-07016, began mediation in February and resulted in the settlement. The proposed class for the settlement includes U.S. children under 13 who watched YouTube between July 1, 2013, and April 1, 2020.
If 1% to 2% of the class members submit claims, each claimant could receive between $30 to $60, before deducting legal fees and costs. The lawyers plan to seek up to $9 million from the settlement for legal fees.
In a similar case in 2019, Google agreed to pay $170 million in fines and change some practices to settle charges by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The settlement requires approval by U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen.
Google denies wrongdoing in agreeing to settle, and as of Tuesday, neither the company nor the lawyers for the plaintiffs have publicly commented on the matter. Notably, Judge Susan van Keulen dismissed claims against content providers such as Hasbro, Mattel, Cartoon Network, and DreamWorks Animation in January.
Meanwhile, Alphabet, Google's parent company, reported a net income of $62.7 billion and revenue of $186.7 billion for the first half of 2025. It remains to be seen how this settlement will impact the tech giant's future financials.
As the settlement awaits final approval, it serves as a reminder for tech companies to prioritise the privacy and protection of children's data, especially in light of growing concerns about online privacy and data security.
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