Kids’ privacy on YouTube queried

Two members of Congress are calling on Google to address concerns that YouTube might violate children’s privacy.

Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) sent a letter this week to Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai asking for more details about how the service collects data.

Their letter comes months after privacy advocates filed a complaint about YouTube with the Federal Trade Commission. The April complaint alleged that YouTube violates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which bans child-oriented websites from collecting personal information from children younger than 13 without their parents’ consent.

The FTC hasn’t said whether an investigation has been opened. It declined to comment Friday.

Google says YouTube isn’t meant for children younger than 13, which is why it created YouTube Kids. The company said in a statement Friday that it will work with the lawmakers to answer their questions.

Advocacy groups have argued that YouTube, despite official terms of service stating it’s not for kids younger than13, has long looked the other way as millions of toddlers, preschoolers and preteens spend hours watching youth-oriented content. Its business model relies on tracking IP addresses, search history, and other personal data about its users so that it can tailor advertising to them. But the 1998 federal law prohibits internet companies from knowingly collecting such personal data from kids without parental permission.

Although the YouTube Kids app provides stronger parental filtering options and privacy protections, it’s not as widely used as the regular service.

Advocacy groups said they hope the congressional attention will push the FTC to act.

“There is concern the FTC has not been aggressive in enforcing” the law, said Josh Golin, director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.