Legal action accuses YouTube of breaching children’s privacy
Action brought in personal capacity by NEF senior researcher Duncan McCann
21 September 2020
Duncan McCann, a senior researcher at the New Economics Foundation, launched a class action against Google on 14 September, alleging its YouTube platform routinely breaks UK and European privacy laws, unlawfully targets young children with addictive programming and harvests their data for advertisers.
The action, brought in a personal capacity by McCann, is the first in Europe against a tech firm on behalf of children, and among the largest data actions to date. It seeks over £2.5 billion in damages for more than 5 million British kids and parents. McCann’s case is backed by international law firm Hausfeld and digital technology campaign Foxglove.
NEF issued the following statement:
“While Duncan is bringing this case in his personal capacity, NEF are proud that he’s standing up for kids and parents in the UK who have no practical way to hold Google to account. We support his decision to act as the Class Representative, defending the rights of millions of kids and parents online. Actions like Duncan’s lift up people’s collective power against the tech giants, and help rebalance the scales of the digital economy in favour of citizens and consumers.”
NEF is also one of 23 signatories to a letter coordinated by Global Action Plan calling on Facebook and Google to cease targeting advertising toward under-18s.
To learn more about the case and register your interest click here.
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Topics Technology
