UK Campaigner Files Complaint Against YouTube for Allegedly Collecting Data of Children Under 13

YouTube, the video-sharing platform owned by US tech giant Alphabet, has been accused of collecting viewing data from children aged under 13 in breach of a UK data privacy code that is designed to protect children. Campaigner Duncan McCann has lodged an official complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) over the site’s gathering of data about the videos children watch, where they are watching them and the device on which they are being watched. This complaint is believed to be the first test of the ICO children’s code, which was introduced in 2020 and required tech firms to comply with it by 2021.

YouTube, which has always maintained that its service was not intended for use by children under 13, said that it had invested in protecting families, including treating all children’s content as if children were viewing it, even on an adult’s account. However, Mr McCann says that many children watch YouTube content on family devices where data can be gathered by default because it is not registered as a children’s account.

The ICO children’s code requires firms to provide a high level of privacy for children by default and not to use design features that encourage them to provide more data. Firms that breach the code can face large fines, similar to the penalties for breaching data protection laws. YouTube has already faced a $170m (£139m) fine in the US in 2019 for violating children’s privacy laws.

According to the regulator Ofcom, 89% of children in the UK aged between three and 17 used the video platform in 2021. Mr McCann, who works for the campaign group 5Rights Foundation, has called for YouTube to introduce a process whereby adults can sign in to the tracking, recommendation systems, profiling and targeted ads to ensure that they are only collecting data from adults who are properly consenting. He added that he believed this would be a minority of users who would choose to do so.

In conclusion, YouTube is facing an official complaint that it has breached the UK data privacy code designed to protect children by collecting viewing data from children under 13. The complaint is the first test of the ICO children’s code, which requires firms to provide a high level of privacy for children by default and not to use design features that encourage them to provide more data. The regulator Ofcom has reported that 89% of children aged between three and 17 in the UK used the video platform in 2021. YouTube has already faced a $170m (£139m) fine in the US in 2019 for violating children’s privacy laws, and it is expected that any breaches of the UK data privacy code will be met with similar penalties.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Sant Goroba Kumbhar Samadhi Temple: A Sacred Shrine of Devotion in Maharashtra

Nestled in the serene village of Ter-Dhoki, near Dharashiv-Osmanabad in Marathwada, Maharashtra, stands the revered Sant Goroba Kumbhar Samadhi Temple. This temple is a testament to the deep devotion and spiritual prowess of Sant Goroba Kumbhar, a revered saint of the Varkari sect who lived during the 13th century. Sant Goroba Kumbhar, affectionately known as Gorobakaka, was a contemporary of revered saints like Namdev and Dnyaneshwar, and his unwavering faith and profound love for Vitthala (Panduranga), a deity worshipped in the form of Lord Krishna, continues to inspire devotees to this day. Born in the year 1189 (1267 AD) according to experts, Sant Goroba Kumbhar was known for his ascetic lifestyle and detachment from worldly affairs. His teachings were highly regarded in the spiritual realm, and he was known to constantly chant the name of Shri Vitthala, with unwavering devotion to the deity. One story that showcases Sant Goroba Kumbhar's deep immersion in devotion is that of h...
Read more

Why crypto asset management makes sense for novice investors

Image
Investing directly in cryptocurrencies can be challenging for most conventional investors because of their complexity, liquidity challenges, and volatility risk. The market for cryptocurrencies is quite unstable. Bitcoin's recent price volatility has seen it fall from grace and then almost immediately rise again. This volatility is a result of market manipulation, business failures, and hacking of investor accounts. However, it's also the very thing that attracts investors hoping for large profits to cryptocurrency. For the majority of traditional investors, investing directly in cryptocurrencies can be difficult because to its complexity, liquidity issues, and volatility risk. A crypto asset management company called Heru Finance specifically seeks to address this. 123Movies is a video streaming website where viewers can watch TV shows and Bollywood or Hollywood films. People can see the most recent films that have been released in HD quality on this website. Nobody else’s st...
Read more

Baywatch: A Lighthearted Take on the Classic TV Series

Baywatch , the iconic TV series that ran from 1989 to 2001, was known for its beautiful beaches, sun-kissed bodies, and thrilling action sequences. The 2017 film adaptation, starring Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, and Alexandra Daddario, captures the spirit of the original show while adding a fresh and modern twist. While not without its flaws, Baywatch offers audiences a lighthearted and entertaining romp through the sand and surf of Southern California . The film follows a group of lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Emerald Bay, a picturesque coastal town that is home to the most elite lifeguard team in the world. Dwayne Johnson plays Mitch Buchannon , the no-nonsense leader of the team, who takes newcomer Matt Brody (played by Zac Efron) under his wing. Along with fellow lifeguards Summer (Alexandra Daddario) and CJ (Kelly Rohrbach), they must investigate a criminal plot that threatens the safety of their beach and the people who visit it. Baywatch is a film that doesn't take its...
Read more