Google - Lawsuit
Executive Summary
A federal judge approved Google's $8.25 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit alleging its AdMob service improperly collected data from children under 13 through apps in the now-defunct "Designed for Families" program on the Android Play Store. Parents claimed Google violated federal children's privacy law by collecting device identifiers from apps like Fun Kid Racing without parental consent. Class members who filed valid claims are expected to receive approximately $12.55 each, signi...
What Happened
A federal judge approved Google's $8.25 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit alleging that its AdMob advertising service improperly collected device identifiers and other data from children under 13 through Android apps in the "Designed for Families" program. Parents filed the lawsuit in June 2023, claiming Google violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting smartphone data from apps like Fun Kid Racing without parental consent. The settlement follows a 2024 court ruling that rejected Google's attempt to dismiss the case on statute of limitations grounds.
Who Is Affected
Parents of children who downloaded apps from Google's now-defunct "Designed for Families" program on the Android Play Store are the primary affected group. Class members who submitted valid claims are expected to receive approximately $12.55 each, though this amount is lower than the initially estimated $40 to $110 per claim due to more claims being filed than anticipated. The affected users were primarily families who relied on Google's program certification that apps complied with federal children's privacy protections.
Why It Matters
This settlement underscores ongoing enforcement challenges around children's privacy protections in mobile app ecosystems, where advertising networks can collect data across multiple apps. The case demonstrates that platform operators like Google can be held accountable for data collection practices within programs they certify as child-safe, even when third-party developers operate the apps. The "Designed for Families" program has since been deprecated, suggesting Google recognized systemic compliance issues with its previous approach to child-directed content.
What You Should Do
If you are a parent who downloaded "Designed for Families" apps for your child during the relevant period, check whether you filed a claim and monitor for settlement payment communications. Review privacy settings on any current children's apps and verify that apps targeting kids have obtained proper parental consent for data collection. Going forward, independently research app privacy practices rather than relying solely on platform certifications, and consider using family-focused device settings that limit ad tracking and data collection for children's accounts.
Summary generated from verified sources and reviewed before publication. How we summarize.
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