Key points
- Claims involve YouTube data collection
- Class includes millions of US children
ISLAMABAD: Google has agreed to pay $30 million to settle a lawsuit alleging it violated the privacy of children using YouTube by collecting their personal data without parental consent and using it for targeted advertising.
The preliminary settlement was filed in a federal court in San Jose, California, and awaits approval from US Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen, according to Reuters.
Google will pay $30 million to settle a lawsuit claiming it violated the privacy of children using YouTube by collecting their personal information without parental consent, and using it to send targeted ads. https://t.co/gxqXoCDdL8
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) August 19, 2025
In 2019, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, had already paid $170 million in fines and agreed to alter its practices following similar claims by the Federal Trade Commission and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Critics had described that deal as too lenient.
Google has not yet responded to media requests for comment. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs also did not immediately comment.
Breaching state laws
The case was brought by the parents or guardians of 34 children, who accused Google of breaching various state laws by enabling content creators to attract children with cartoons and nursery rhymes, allowing the company to collect their data—even after the 2019 settlement.
Judge van Keulen previously dismissed claims against content providers including Hasbro, Mattel, Cartoon Network, and DreamWorks Animation, citing insufficient evidence linking them to the alleged data collection.
Mediation began in February, resulting in the current settlement.
Net profit
The proposed class includes all US children under 13 who used YouTube between 1 July 2013 and 1 April 2020. Lawyers estimate the class could include 35 to 45 million children. If 1–2 per cent submit claims, payouts may range from $30 to $60 each, before legal fees.
The legal team plans to request up to $9 million from the settlement in fees.
Alphabet reported a net profit of $62.7 billion on $186.7 billion in revenue during the first half of 2025.
