SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) — A class action lawsuit against Google alleges the company illegally obtained minors' personal information through its Google Play games.
A.B., a minor by and through his guardian Jen Turner, and others filed a complaint June 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Google LLC, Admob Google Inc., and Admob Inc., alleging invasion of privacy and other claims.
The plaintiffs allege in their class action that through apps directed at children, the defendants knowingly and intentionally violate the privacy of millions of minors. They claim the defendants target children with "highly lucrative behavioral advertising" without well-established privacy protections.
The plaintiffs allege Google's "Designed for Families" (DFF) on the Google Play Store falsely represented that the apps complied with data collection and other applicable laws. Specifically, the plaintiffs claim Google "surreptitiously exfiltrated" the personal information of children under age 13 who played its Android App games such as "Fun Kid Racing, Monster Truck Racing and GummyBear and Friends Speed Racing" in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
They claim Google uses the apps to collect users' data such as device identifiers, location data, in-app behavior and the use of cookies. The plaintiffs also claim Google failed to obtain "verifiable parental consent" prior to collecting minors' personal information.
The plaintiffs and the class seek monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. They are represented by Mark Todzo and Patrick Carey of The Lexington Law Group in San Francisco and David Golub, Steven Bloch, Ian Slos, Jennifer Sclar and Jonathan Seredynski of Silver Golub & Teitell LLP in Stamford, Connecticut.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California case number 5:23-CV-03101