A class action claims Google LLC and YouTube LLC collected personal data about children under 13 without parental consent when kids watched child directed content on YouTube. Google denies wrongdoing. The proposed settlement would resolve the case known as Hubbard v. Google, No. 5:19-cv-07016, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division.
The settlement notice explains that when children watched cartoons, nursery rhymes, and other child directed content on YouTube, Google allegedly collected personal data and used it for advertising. The settlement does not mean any law was broken.
Who Is Eligible?
You may be included if you or your child were in the United States, were under 13 years old at any time from July 1, 2013 to April 1, 2020, and watched content allegedly directed to children on YouTube.
The settlement class does not include Google and its subsidiaries and affiliates, officers and directors, the presiding judge and immediate family, Settlement Class Counsel, and anyone who excludes themselves.
How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?
Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:
What is the Total Settlement Amount?
Google will pay $30,000,000 into a settlement fund. The fund will pay money to eligible settlement class members, notice and administration costs, taxes, attorneys fees and expenses, and service awards of up to $1,500 per guardian for the Settlement Class Representatives. No remaining funds will be returned to Google.
How Much Will I Get?
The exact payment is not known now. After costs and court approved fees, the remaining fund will be distributed pro rata to eligible claimants. The amount you receive will depend on the number of valid claims. If funds remain after distribution, the remainder will go to a court approved organization.
How Do I File a Claim?
Submit a Claim Form at the settlement website or by mail. If the settlement class member is under 18 as of Pending Date, a parent or legal guardian must complete and sign the claim. Mail claims to the address on the website by the posted deadline, linked below.
What Are the Important Dates?
Deadlines appear as placeholders in the notice and will be finalized on the settlement website.
• Claim Deadline: Pending Date
• Exclusion (Opt Out) Deadline: Pending Date by 11:59 p.m. PT online or postmark by mail
• Objection Deadline: Pending Date by 11:59 p.m. PT for ECF filings or postmark by mail
• Final Approval Hearing: Pending Date
If I Do Nothing
If you do nothing, you will not get any money from the settlement and you will be bound by the Court's decisions. To receive a payment you must submit a Claim Form by the posted deadline.
How Do I Exclude Myself?
To get out of the settlement, submit an exclusion request online at YouTubePrivacySettlement.com by 11:59 p.m. PT on Pending Date or mail a letter postmarked by Pending Date. A parent or legal guardian must submit and sign for any minor under 18 as of Pending Date. Include your name, the minor's name if applicable, address, phone number, and signature.
How Do I Object?
To object, send a letter to the Court by Pending Date. Include your name, address, phone, email, any lawyer's contact info, whether your objection applies only to you or others, the reasons you object, a sworn statement under penalty of perjury that you or the minor are class members, and your signature. You may still file a claim even if you object.
Who Are the Lawyers in the $30M YouTube Settlement
The Court appointed Silver Golub & Teitell LLP and Pritzker Levine LLP as the official lawyers, or Class Counsel. They will request attorney fees up to 30 percent of the fund plus up to $250,000 in expenses, subject to Court approval.
When Will I Be Paid?
Payments will be made only if the Court approves the settlement and after any appeals are resolved. This process can take time.
Please submit only truthful information. False claims can be rejected and may carry penalties. If you are unsure whether you qualify, visit the settlement website or contact the administrator. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer advocacy and class action news site and is not a class action administrator or a law firm. OpenClassActions participates in the Amazon affiliate program and this post may contain affiliate links.