Proposed Settlement Reached in Case Alleging Google Violated Kids’ Privacy
A proposed settlement has been reached in a case involving Google's alleged violation of children's privacy, according to a joint court document filed Friday.
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The case began in October 2019 when plaintiff Nichole Hubbard filed a complaint against Google, which operates video-sharing platform YouTube, alleging it collected personal data and information of users, including minors, and used it to deliver targeted ads in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), California privacy laws and other similar state laws.
The court document said that on May 6, a settlement in principle was reached and the parties "are negotiating formal settlement documentation and anticipate filing a motion for approval of the settlement on or before August 11, 2025." It also said the parties "jointly request that the Court vacate all pending deadlines in this matter."
Google previously filed a motion to dismiss case 19-07016 in January 2020 on the grounds that no private right of action exists under COPPA, among other things, which Judge Beth Labson Freeman of the U.S. District Court of Northern California agreed with, dismissing the case in December 2020 (see 2501140087). But the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reinstated the case in 2023, partially denying Google's next motion to dismiss in January and allowing the case to continue (see 2501140087).