YouTube seeks clarity on child law

Google-owned YouTube wants the US government to clarify how much its video service is subject to child privacy law.

The video-sharing platform has submitted new comments to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), asking the agency to loosen some of the restrictions on videos directed at kids.

"Currently, the FTC's guidance requires platforms must treat anyone watching primarily child-directed content as children under 13. This does not match what we see on YouTube, where adults watch favourite cartoons from their childhood or teachers look for content to share with their students," the tech giant recently wrote in a blog post.

Earlier in September, the tech giant was slapped with a hefty $170 million fine post which it planned sweeping changes to kids videos.

Since then, many creators have expressed concern about the complexity of Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), their ability to comply with it, and its effect on the viability of their businesses. 

"Questions range from what content is directed at children, to how to treat adults who might be watching kids content. This is particularly difficult for smaller creators who might not have access to legal resources. Balanced and clear guidelines will help creators better comply with COPPA and live up to their legal obligations, while enabling them to continue producing high-quality kids content that is accessible to everyone, everywhere," the firm added.

YouTube announced big changes to how it treats kids videos after the US FTC hit it with new rules and a record penalty to settle a probe into the privacy of children's data on the video platform.

It was the biggest penalty ever levied for violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA.