Google settles YouTube children's privacy lawsuit
A preliminary settlement of the proposed class action was filed on Monday night in San Jose, California, federal court, and requires approval by U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen.
Google denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.
The Alphabet unit agreed in 2019 to pay $170 million in fines and change some practices to settle similar charges by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Some critics viewed that accord as too lenient.
Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to similar requests.
The parents or guardians of 34 children accused Google of violating dozens of state laws by letting content providers bait children with cartoons, nursery rhymes and other content to help it collect personal information, even after the 2019 settlement.
Van Keulen dismissed claims against the content providers -including Hasbro, Mattel, Cartoon Network and DreamWorks Animation – in January, citing a lack of evidence tying them to Google's alleged data collection.
Mediation began the next month, leading to the settlement.
The proposed class covers U.S. children under 13 who watched YouTube between July 1, 2013 and April 1, 2020.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said there could be 35 million to 45 million class members.
They said if 1% to 2% submit claims, a rate comparable to similar earlier cases, claimants could receive $30 to $60 each, before deducting legal fees and costs.
The lawyers plan to seek up to $9 million from the settlement for legal fees.
Alphabet posted net income of $62.7 billion on revenue of $186.7 billion in the first half of 2025.
The case is C.H. et al v Google LLC et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 19-07016.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
How new gaming laws will affect the industry that's raking in billions
The Lok Sabha has cleared the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, prohibiting all real-money games in India. The government claims the law is designed to control addiction, cheating, and money laundering associated with money gaming, as well as support the development of legitimate esports and game billThe big change: A national ban on money-stakes games, such as betting and fantasy games. A central body will classify games, license them, and ensure the rules are followedWhat's encouraged: Free social or educational games and esports will be supported as ways to build talent, new ideas, and jobsWhy it's contentious: Industry players argue that banning real-money games, the sector's main revenue source, could drive users to offshore platforms and hurt domestic revenues and employment. The government, however, insists the target is money gaming, not esportsOnline gamingIndia has become one of the biggest gaming economies globally. The India Gaming Report 2025 by Lumikai and Google states that close to half of India's 650 million internet users are gamers, and mobile phones are the driving force. The EY Media & Entertainment report indicates the number of users in India increased from 421 million in 2022 to 455 million in had 488 million internet gamers in 2024. Of these, more than 155 million played real-money games such as fantasy games, rummy, poker, and other games, which was 10 per cent more than the year before. A new 28 per cent GST on money invested in transaction-dependent gaming platforms and TDS on winnings have pushed some gamers to illegal and offshore sites that were active and advertised in 2024. These sites offer more returns but are risky as they are not governed by rules or legal cover. However, India's online gaming universe is expected to grow to 517 million by 2025. And further expand at a rate of five to six per cent annually by gaming industry has grown in revenue every year. Revenues rose from Rs 222 billion in 2022 to Rs 236 billion in 2023. It fell slightly to Rs 232 billion in 2024 because of taxes and regulations. The market is likely to bounce back well, touching Rs 260 billion in 2025 and around Rs 316 billion in to the EY report, the online gaming segment earned Rs 218 billion in 2024 as subscription income. Transaction-based gaming earnings through online gaming increased from Rs 159 billion in 2022 to Rs 190 billion in 2023, but decreased to Rs 179 billion in 2024. In esports and casual gaming in 2022, the revenues were just Rs 37 billion. By 2024, it was Rs 53 revenue from transaction-based gaming is much more than from esports and casual gaming, it is growing. And now this ban will give more push to esports and casual gaming revenue. The EY report also said that the esports and casual gaming segment is projected to expand at a faster pace, with a 16 per cent compound annual growth rate, while the transaction-based segment is expected to grow at a slower pace, at nine per transactions on online games remained largely stable in terms of value in April–July 2025, averaging around Rs 10,000 crore each month. However, transaction volumes showed a visible dip, falling from 50.5 crore transactions in April to 33.3 crore in June, before slightly recovering to 35.1 crore in July. While the overall money spent on online gaming remained at the same level for four months, the number of transactions declined.- Ends
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Donald Trump secures legal victory as court overturns $500 Million fraud penalty
US President Donald Trump scored a major legal victory on Thursday after a New York appeals court struck down a massive civil fraud penalty that could have cost him more than half a billion dollars. While the judges upheld findings that Trump exaggerated his wealth for years, they ruled the fine imposed last year was 'excessive' and violated constitutional limits. A five-judge panel of the Appellate Division in Manhattan threw out the $515 million penalty levied by Judge Arthur Engoron, who had concluded that Trump flagrantly overstated his assets to lenders and insurers. The panel described the disgorgement order — which directed Trump and his company to pay nearly half a billion dollars — as disproportionate and unconstitutional. However, the court upheld restrictions barring Trump and his two eldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, from holding senior corporate positions for a number of years. It also left room for further appeals to New York's highest court. The civil fraud case was brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2022. She argued that Trump, his family members and senior executives at the Trump Organization had inflated the value of assets — including properties such as Trump Tower — to secure favourable loans and insurance deals. Engoron ruled that this amounted to fraud and ordered Trump to pay $355 million, which with interest grew to more than $515 million. Penalties against his sons and other executives pushed the total beyond $527 million. The appeals panel was deeply divided, issuing over 300 pages of concurring and dissenting opinions. While some judges agreed that James had successfully proven fraud, they nevertheless found the financial punishment excessive. 'While the injunctive relief ordered by the court is well crafted to curb defendants' business culture, the disgorgement order … is an excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution,' Judges Dianne T. Renwick and Peter H. Moulton wrote. Trump, who returned to the White House seven months ago, has long claimed the lawsuit was politically motivated, describing it as a 'fraud on me.' His lawyers argue that his financial statements contained disclaimers, that lenders did their own assessments, and that all loans were repaid. Attorney General Letitia James, who has accused Trump of 'lying, cheating and staggering fraud,' had no immediate comment on Thursday's decision. The ruling removes one of the heaviest financial burdens Trump faced as he juggles multiple legal cases while in office. The former president is also appealing a criminal conviction in his hush money case and remains entangled in defamation litigation brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who won damages totalling more than $88 million.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Tech Wrap Aug 21: Google Pixel 10 series, Apple store, WhatsApp voicemail
Google Pixel 10 series pre-order. Apple to open third store in India. WhatsApp's Voicemail feature. Google Pixel Watch 4, Buds 2a. ROG Xbox Ally, Ally X handhelds launch confirmed BS Tech New Delhi Listen to This Article Google Pixel 10 series launched: Check India pricing, availability and more Google has rolled out the Pixel 10 series in India, featuring the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Pre-orders are now live for all models except the foldable variant. Buyers can avail offers like cashback on select bank cards, trade-in bonuses, and no-cost EMI options for up to 24 months. Apple is gearing up to launch its third official retail outlet in India—Apple Hebbal in Bengaluru—on September 2. The opening comes just ahead of the expected iPhone 17 lineup reveal. The new store will join Apple BKC in Mumbai and Apple Saket in New Delhi as part of the company's expanding India presence. WhatsApp is preparing a voicemail-like feature that enables users to leave a recorded message if a call is missed. According to WABetaInfo, the functionality is currently being tested by select Android beta users. The feature mirrors traditional voicemail and aims to streamline communication on the app. Alongside the Pixel 10 series, Google has also introduced the Pixel Watch 4 and Buds 2a at the Made by Google event on August 20. The Pixel Watch 4 runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5 Gen 2, while the Buds 2a are powered by Google's Tensor A1 chip. Pricing and availability details for the Indian market have been revealed for both devices. ASUS and Microsoft have announced the global launch of two new handheld consoles—the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X—set for October 16, 2025, across 30+ countries. While the exact India launch date has not been confirmed, Microsoft has said the devices will enter the Indian market after the global rollout. Google has introduced the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, its 2025 book-style foldable smartphone. It becomes the first foldable to feature IP68 certification for dust and water protection along with Qi2 magnetic wireless charging support. The device goes head-to-head with recent foldables like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Vivo's X Fold 5. Apple has issued iOS 18.6.2 for compatible iPhones, urging immediate installation. The update fixes a major security loophole, which Apple described as an 'extremely sophisticated attack' targeting specific individuals. No new features are part of the release, suggesting it may be the last iOS 18 update before the stable release of iOS 26 in September. The Pixel 10 series lineup includes the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Of these, the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL are positioned as the top-tier flagships, equipped with Google's most advanced hardware and software to date. Here's a look at what the Pro models offer. Chats between users and Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk's xAI, have reportedly surfaced on Google Search. According to Forbes, users who clicked the 'share' button within Grok exposed their conversations, which were subsequently indexed by search engines—making them publicly accessible online. Along with the Pixel 10 series, Pixel Watch 4, and Buds 2a, Google has refreshed its second-generation Pixel Buds Pro. The update adds gesture-based AI features like 'Answer texts and calls hands-free,' enabling users to nod to accept or shake their head to reject. A new colour option has also been introduced. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has released a high-severity advisory for desktop users of Google Chrome. According to the agency, a security flaw in Chrome could allow attackers to remotely execute arbitrary code on affected systems. CERT-In has rated this vulnerability as 'High' in terms of severity. Unveiled on August 20, the Pixel 10 lineup—including Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold—brings Gemini-powered AI features to smartphones. Key additions include Magic Cue and Camera Coach. All models ship with Android 16, while Pro variants also come bundled with a one-year Google AI Pro subscription, unlocking tools such as Imagen 4 and Veo 3 for advanced image and video generation. Google has officially revealed the Pixel 10, its entry-level flagship, which brings notable upgrades over the Pixel 9. Enhancements include a more efficient processor, brighter display, larger battery, and a new telephoto camera. Combined with on-device AI improvements, the Pixel 10 aims to deliver faster, smarter, and more flexible performance than its predecessor.
