Disney to pay $10 million over children’s data on YouTube

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has fined Disney $10 million, saying the company failed to label hundreds of child-focused YouTube videos as «Made for Kids.» Regulators said the mislabeling — affecting titles like «Frozen,» «Toy Story,» «Coco,» «Tangled» and «The Incredibles» — let YouTube collect children’s personal data and run targeted ads, in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), according to Variety.

«Our order penalizes Disney’s abuse of parents’ trust, and, through a mandated video-review program, makes room for the future of protecting kids online — age assurance technology,» the media outlet reported, citing Andrew Ferguson, the FTC chairman.

Disney, which shares ad revenue from its YouTube videos, said the settlement applies only to content distributed on YouTube, not its own platforms. The company stressed its commitment to privacy, saying, «Supporting the well-being and safety of kids and families is at the heart of what we do.»

As part of the settlement, Disney must maintain an Audience Designation Program to properly classify its videos. The case follows a $170 million YouTube fine in 2019 that first required platforms and creators to flag child-directed content.