Overview

• The FTC alleged Disney failed to mark certain child-directed YouTube uploads as Made for Kids, enabling data collection and targeted ads in violation of COPPA.
• Most flagged videos were posted from 2020 to 2022 and included storytimes, sing-alongs, and content tied to franchises such as Frozen, Toy Story, and Coco, with YouTube redesignating more than 300 videos starting in June 2020.
• Since 2020, at least 12 ad campaigns totaling over 350,000 impressions ran on Disney channels where targeted advertising should have been barred, according to the complaint.
• Under the settlement, Disney must create and maintain an Audience Designation program to classify YouTube uploads, a requirement that would end only if YouTube implements platform-wide age assurance.
• Disney characterized the mislabeling as an administrative error limited to content on YouTube, and reporting notes this is the first known post-2019 FTC settlement with a YouTube content provider, signaling potential risk for other publishers.