YouTube Accused of Violating COPPA by Targeting Kids with Ads

YouTube has come under fire for allegedly flouting its promise to stop targeting kids with personalized ads. A recent report from Adalytics, an ad metrics firm, claims that the video-sharing platform has been tracking children online, displaying customized advertisements targeting them.

This is a potential breach of its agreement with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the US. It was in June that Google was sued for invading the privacy rights of children in Android apps.

Adalytics also claims that YouTube violated the norms despite a consent decree with the FTC in September 2019 and CEO Susan Wojcicki's commitment to refrain from providing personalized ads.

The report also reveals that the YouTube mobile app for iOS shares a unique ad tracking ID every time a viewer on a for kids channel clicks on a YouTube ad."

Besides, the report states that YouTube opens an advertiser's website within a special in-app webview' browser when viewers interact with ads adjacent to for kids" videos on the app.

Reportedly, this action allows Google to configure different tracker IDs and ad-targeting tools on the user's device. This also allows other data brokers and vendors to collect the unique identifiers of the user and share the same.

Recently, the FTC slapped Amazon with a $25 million settlement for violating COPPA regulations.

Google Dubs the Report Misleading'

Google has responded to these allegations with a strong denial. A spokesperson from Google stated in this regard, There is no evidence that Google and YouTube violated their 2019 agreement with the FTC."

Personalized advertising has never been allowed on YouTube Kids, and in January 2020, we expanded this to anyone watching made for kids' content on YouTube, regardless of their age.Google spokesperson

Google also claimed the report to be fundamentally flawed and misleading. It pointed out that it never allowed personalized advertising for kids on YouTube. The spokesperson further claimed that this was the second time that Adalytics has published a misleading report

The report has identified 313 brands that have advertised consumer products for adults on YouTube videos marked as for kids," even without sign-ins.

The head of global public policy at the Software and Information Industry Association, Paul Lekas, claimed that the mere presence of cookies does not automatically signify any conduct violating the law. As per COPPA, cookies are allowed for specific uses.

However, certain limitations need to be adhered to. Lekas stated that Adalytics had not provided substantial evidence to prove any violations apart from these constraints.

The accusations on Google have caught the attention of US Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). The Senators have called on FTC Chair Lina Khan to investigate the authenticity of the findings.

In a joint statement, the Senators expressed the need for better protection of online privacy for children. They also upheld the need to ban targeted advertising to teenagers and children.

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