Google, YouTube to Pay $170 Million For Collecting Your Kids’ Data. Here’s How To Protect Children’s Privacy.

After collecting personal information from children without the consent of their parents, Google and YouTube are going to pay a record $170 million fine to settle with the Federal Trade Commission and the New York Attorney General, who both filed complaints against the company and its subsidiary.

Allegedly, the information of kids who were watching YouTube videos was used by Google and YouTube to make millions by targeting advertisements at the young viewers on channels that were aimed at kids.

On top of profiting off these children, the other issue is that YouTube failed to notify parents or get their consent. And it’s not the first time something like this has happened.

So what are the consequences for these tech giants? And is there anything you can do to protect your child’s information and privacy online?

“Google, it’s clear, is a serial privacy offender,” says New York Times technology reporter Natasha Singer. “Their own behavior shows that they knew they were violating the law.”

“With children, we’re especially concerned about their data being used to manipulate them or to put them at risk,” she says.

Click on the player above to hear New York Times technology reporter Natasha Singer talk about the fine against Google and YouTube and how parents can protect their kids’ data.