U.S.A. organizations today accused YouTube and Google's parent company of collecting children's personal data and using it to present targeted ads, an illegal practice, according to them.
Twenty-three digital rights and child rights groups have appealed to the US Trade Regulatory Authority (FTC) to investigate the practice, according to a statement.
According to the organizations, Google collects personal information of minors through YouTube, although it is officially forbidden for children under the age of 13 to enter the site, mainly for the area where they are, the device they use, and even mobile phone numbers.
"YouTube collects this information without first notifying parents, and Google uses it to display targeted ads all over the Internet," they said.
"For years, Google has not properly protected children and families by falsely claiming that YouTube - a site full of cartoons, children's songs and toy ads - is not intended for children under 13," the statement said. Josh Golin of the Campaign for Childhood without Advertising.
"Google is making huge profits through targeted ads for children and must respect US child protection law online," Golin said.
Google's practice, according to the organizations, is contrary to the 1998 law, which "prohibits a website intended for children or known to be used by children to collect and use such information without parental consent."
Google, for its part, said it had not been notified of the appeal, but stressed that "protecting children and families is a priority."
"Because YouTube is not for kids, we've invested heavily in creating the YouTube Kids app, which offers an alternative specifically for kids," said a company spokesman.