Tag: the Center for Digital Democracy

Advocates Say Google’s YouTube Violates Federal Children’s Privacy Law

Stuart Mitchell

A coalition of leading U.S. child advocacy, consumer, and privacy groups represented by the Institute for Public Representation filed a complaint urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate and sanction Google for violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in operating YouTube. Google claims that YouTube is only for users 13 and up, despite being the most popular online platform for children, used by 80% of American children ages 6 to 12. The site features many programs designed and promoted for children and Google generates significant profits…

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Advocates: Stop Targeting Children with Ads in “New York Times for Kids”

Stuart Mitchell

A coalition of consumer and privacy advocates called on the New York Times to make its new Times for Kids section free of advertising. The advocates’ letter is a response to the November 19, 2017 supplement, in which 5 of the 16 pages were full-page ads directed at children for Google Home Mini.   In a letter they sent to the Times today, the groups document how the supplement targeted vulnerable kids with marketing for an internet-connected device which could endanger children’s privacy and welfare.  The groups say the cartoon ads…

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