YouTube illegally collecting data on children, claims protection groups

Just like Facebook, Google also has been collecting data and that too of children, a coalition of 23 child advocacy, consumer and privacy groups, has claimed.

The group has filed a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in this regard, according to The Guardian.

The group, in its complaint, has alleged that despite the search-engine giant claiming that the video-sharing website is only for those aged 13 and above, Google is aware that children below that age use the site.

The group says Google collects information on the kids and then put tailor-made ads on the website to generate revenue.

"Google profits immensely by delivering ads to kids and must comply with Coppa (US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act). It's time for the FTC to hold Google accountable for its illegal data collection and advertising practices," The Guardian quoted Josh Golin, a member of the group, as saying.

According to the group, Google collects personal information in the form of location, device identifiers and phone numbers and uses it to track them across different websites and services without first obtaining parental consent as required by the Coppa.

In this regard, a YouTube spokesperson said: "While we haven't received the complaint, protecting kids and families has always been a top priority for us. We will read the complaint thoroughly and evaluate if there are things we can do to improve. Because YouTube is not for children, we've invested significantly in the creation of the YouTube Kids app to offer an alternative specifically designed for children.