Disney Settles FTC Complaint With YouTube Over Children's Data Collection

Disney has reached a $10 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over allegations that it illegally collected personal information from children on YouTube without parental consent. The FTC claimed that Disney's subsidiaries, including Maker Studios, failed to properly designate their content as directed at children, which would have required them to comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Under the settlement, Disney agreed to pay the $10 million fine and implement a comprehensive privacy program to ensure compliance with COPPA. The FTC alleged that Disney's subsidiaries collected personal information, including names, email addresses, and location data, from viewers of their YouTube channels without parental consent. The case highlights the ongoing scrutiny of data collection practices by major tech and media companies, particularly when it comes to protecting the privacy of children online. The settlement serves as a warning to other companies to ensure they are fully compliant with COPPA and other relevant regulations when collecting and using data from children.