YouTube × Children's Privacy: What Was Happening "Beyond the Viewing History" - Protecting Before Advertising

YouTube (Google) has agreed to a $30 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit concerning children's privacy violations, pending approval from a U.S. federal court. The settlement pertains to American children under the age of 13 who watched YouTube between July 1, 2013, and April 1, 2020, with an estimated 35 to 45 million potential participants. If 1-2% of them file claims, each could receive $30 to $60. Google denies any wrongdoing. This follows a $170 million settlement in 2019 for COPPA violations, with plaintiffs alleging that data collection continued thereafter. On social media, there are calls for "heavier penalties" and a "redesign of the revenue model." While the settlement amount is relatively small, future focus will be on implementing and disclosing measures to prevent recurrence, such as age estimation, transparency in ad design, and data minimization for minors.