A bipartisan Senate effort is calling for an investigation into YouTube and its parent company, Google, over a report the companies were tracking and targeting children without parental consent.
Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Edward Markey, D-Mass., who serve together on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, wrote a letter Thursday to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Kahn asking the agency to investigate the allegations revealed in research by Adalytics, an independent ad quality and transparency platform.
"New research from Adalytics indicates YouTube and Google are facilitating the vast collection and distribution of children's data without parental consent, as well as disregarding YouTube's own policies and its 2019 FTC consent decree by showing targeted advertisements on videos for kids," the senators wrote. "We therefore urge the Federal Trade Commission to use its full authority under COPPA [Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ] and the FTC Act to investigate and remedy any violations and ensure children are protected from tracking and targeting by YouTube and Google."
The senators wrote that in 2019, the FTC fined YouTube and Google $170 million for YouTube's violations of COPPA. YouTube then released new policies stating that any user watching child-directed content would be treated like a child, which included limiting data collection on viewers of child-directed content. YouTube also stated it would stop serving personalized — or targeted — advertisements on any children-directed videos.
"These changes would have been important protections for children who regularly use YouTube," the senators wrote. "Targeted advertising can manipulate children, and companies routinely use personal information to pressure young people to spend more time on their platforms, which can have many negative impacts. However, these policies are only helpful if companies abide by them."
Adalytics identified several remarketing ad campaigns in which their ads were served on more than 180 "made for kids" YouTube channels. Remarketing is an effort to "reengage with potential customers by adding your website and app visitors to remarketing lists."
One ad campaign for users over age 18, who had an "in-market interest" for "consumer electronics," had 100% of their ads served on various "made for kids" channels, the research found. Another ad campaign targeting consumers who were interested in various beauty and cosmetics products was served on close to 200 "made for kids" channels.
"YouTube and Google cannot continue treating young people's data as an unprotected commodity from which to profit with abandon," the senators wrote. "Not only must the FTC act, but Congress must also pass legislation to protect young people's privacy online and finally ban targeted advertising to kids and teens."
Newsmax reached out to Google for comment.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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