Google To Pay $30 Million To Settle Lawsuit Over Collecting Children’s Data

Google has agreed to pay $30 million on Monday to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the tech giant of violating children’s privacy on YouTube.

According to Reuters, the parents and guardians of 34 children alleged that Google violated multiple state laws by collecting minors’ data without parental consent to serve targeted ads.

Although Google agreed to the preliminary settlement, filed Monday in a federal court in California, the company denied any wrongdoing.

The parents claimed Google allowed content providers to collect children’s data by baiting them with attractive content such as nursery rhymes and cartoons, even after the tech giant had previously been accused of similar charges and committed to stop collecting data from videos addressed to children.

In 2019, Google also agreed to settle on an agreement in a similar case and paid $170 million for breaking federal laws and collecting young users’ data without parental consent to track behavior and interests for targeted advertising.

Lawyers estimate that between 35 million and 45 million people may qualify as members of the affected group. Residents of the United States who watched YouTube between July 1, 2013, and April 1, 2020, while under the age of 13, could be eligible to receive a payment of $30 to $60.

The new settlement still requires court approval, and some critics have considered the fines too indulgent. Google reported $62.7 billion in net income during the first half of 2025.

Google has repeatedly faced accusations of targeting children through its YouTube platform. In April, a secret collaboration between Google and Meta was revealed, showing the companies worked together to target Instagram ads at teenagers on YouTube.

A few months ago, the tech giant also introduced an AI tool to estimate users’ ages and detect those under 18. The purpose of the tool was to help provide more “age-appropriate” experiences for users.