YouTube and Google $30 million child privacy settlement: Who qualifies and how to claim
The lawsuit alleges that Google and YouTube improperly tracked children’s personal information without parental consent for targeted advertising and used it in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Important layout details
- The $30 million deal will benefit people under the age of 13 who consume children’s content during the specified period.
- Plaintiffs must file a claim to receive payment; The deadline for submitting requests is January 21, 2026.
- The amount each plaintiff receives will depend on the total claims filed; Estimates of individual payments are not yet available.
- The settlement also applies to behavior that continued even after the high-profile FTC-YouTube settlement in 2019.
Who can benefit from the settlement payment?
The settlement covers people in the U.S. who were under the age of 13 at any point between July 1, 2013, and April 1, 2020, and who watched allegedly child-directed content on YouTube during that time.
Eligibility includes children viewing YouTube children’s content, as well as adults using the platform who are under the age of 13 during the specified period. Each eligible child is counted as a separate class member, and claims for minor children must be made by a parent or legal guardian on their behalf.
Multiple children in a household may be requested separately by their respective guardians or parents.
How to make a claim
Eligible claimants must submit a valid claim form to participate in the settlement. The claim form requires:
- Class member’s full name (child watching YouTube content)
- Class member’s date of birth
- For those under the age of 18, the request form must be completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian when submitting a request.
Claims may be made once live through an official settlement website (YouTubePrivacySettlement.com) or by mail if appropriate. The deadline for submitting requests is January 21, 2026. Notifications, request sites, and deadlines for the resolution will be widely available to ensure affected families have the necessary information. Requesters generally do not need to provide proof of use when submitting the form, but requests may be subject to audit later.
Allegations and company response
The central allegation is that Google and YouTube systematically collect data from child viewers without appropriate notification or consent to parents and then use that information to target them through advertising. Both companies deny any wrongdoing but opted to settle to avoid protracted litigation.
The lawsuit was filed by parents or guardians of 34 children who claimed the companies violated not only federal but also certain state privacy laws. While the court rejected claims against some content providers (such as Hasbro, Mattel, Cartoon Network and DreamWorks), it allowed the lawsuit to be filed directly against Google and YouTube.
Previous relevant settlements
This isn’t the first COPPA-related fine from Google and YouTube. In 2019, companies paid a record $170 million in fines to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and New York State for similar COPPA violations. This prior action required YouTube to notify channel owners of COPPA compliance and develop a system to detect child-directed content. These cases underscore the ongoing regulatory pressure on children’s digital privacy.
Other major companies, such as Disney, have reached agreements on similar issues; Disney’s FTC settlement was to not label YouTube videos as “Made for Kids,” leading to improper data collection.
FAQ
Q. Who is entitled to receive payments?
Anyone under 13 who watched children’s YouTube content between July 1, 2013 and April 1, 2020 may be eligible. Parents or guardians must apply on behalf of their child.
Q. Why aren’t payments predefined?
The amount each claimant receives depends on the total number of valid claims submitted. The $30 million pool will be distributed pro rata.
Q. What laws is YouTube allegedly violating?
The main law is COPPA, which strictly prohibits the collection and use of personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. The lawsuit also cited various state privacy laws.
