BREAKING: Disney to Pay $10M Over Kids’ YouTube Data Scandal
Stop the press and cancel the cartoon marathon—Disney is forking over $10 million in a jaw-dropping FTC settlement after being accused of secretly collecting data from under-13 YouTube viewers!
Let’s get into the juicy part: the FTC alleges that Disney mislabeled around 300 YouTube videos—featuring hits like The Incredibles, Toy Story, and Frozen—as "Not Made for Kids." That blunder let the company track kids’ data and target them with ads—without parental consent! All because Disney used channel-wide defaults instead of labeling each video correctly. People.comThe Verge
This isn’t just another Tuesday. It's the first FTC action against a YouTube content provider—not the platform itself—since Google's own $170 million wrap-up back in 2019. Axiosage controls
In a statement dripping with PR-safe phrases, Disney claims children’s safety is “at the heart of what we do.” But let's be real—it’s only YouTube content, not their own apps, that’s under fire. And yes, they’ll now introduce a video-review system with age controls to clean up their act.
Parents, listen up: this is more than headlines. It’s about our kids’ digital privacy. The FTC’s move signals that content creators—not just platforms—will be held accountable. In their own words, the commission is done messing around with “abuse of parents’ trust.” Federal Trade Commission+1
Fans and critics are already buzzing:
- “$10M? That’s bigger than my student loans!”
- “Disney’s childhood magic just got pricey.”
- “Finally, they’re getting called out like the rest of us content creators.”
Will Disney face harsher scrutiny next? Or will another media giant be the FTC’s next high-stakes target?