Child advocates ask FTC to investigate YouTube

A coalition of child advocates and consumer groups is asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate YouTube for allegedly violating children’s online privacy by collecting kids’ data and targeting ads to them.

A complaint scheduled to be filed Monday with the FTC argues that Google, which owns YouTube, has profited off the collection of personal data from children who watch cartoons and other videos on the platform.

YouTube says it will review the complaint and consider ways to improve. Its terms of service say it’s not for children under 13, but the platform is widely popular among children of all ages.

An FTC spokeswoman says the agency hasn’t yet received the complaint. It was drafted by the Center for Digital Democracy, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and other groups.

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