Disney agreed to a $10 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations it violated federal child privacy laws on YouTube.
The allegations claim Disney Worldwide Services and Disney Entertainment Operations did not label certain YouTube videos as “Made for Kids,” enabling unauthorized collection of children’s data without parental permission.
The big picture: The settlement finalizes an agreement reached in September and allows Disney to avoid a trial for the alleged violations.
- Disney must implement a program ensuring full compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) on YouTube.
- Required changes include correctly labeling children’s content, obtaining parental consent before data collection, and notifying guardians of any collected information.
Zoom in: The Disney YouTube channel is described as “extremely popular,” garnering billions of U.S. views, according to the DOJ.
- DOJ Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate emphasized the importance of ensuring parents have control over their children’s information online.
