In a major privacy crackdown, Disney has been slapped with a $10 million fine by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for illegally tracking children's data on YouTube. The penalty stems from violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which safeguards kids under 13 from unauthorized data collection.
The FTC alleges that Disney's apps and websites, including those linked to popular kids' channels like DisneyNOW and YouTube Kids integrations, embedded tracking pixels and cookies without parental consent. These tools gathered sensitive info such as location data, device IDs, and viewing habits from millions of young users. Despite prior warnings, Disney failed to implement adequate age gates or anonymization measures, prioritizing ad revenue over compliance.
Disney has agreed to the settlement without admitting wrongdoing, committing to enhanced privacy controls and independent audits for three years. This follows a $5.7 billion FTC fine against Epic Games in 2022 for similar infractions, signaling intensified scrutiny on Big Tech's youth-targeted platforms.
Experts warn this could reshape kids' content monetization, pushing for quantum-secure privacy tech amid rising AI-driven tracking threats. For parents in India and globally, it underscores VPNs and ad-blockers as essential tools against covert surveillance.
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