US fines Disney $10 mln over children’s data violations
The Walt Disney Company will pay a $10 million civil penalty in a case involving violations of laws protecting children’s personal data, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the US Department of Justice.
According to the Department, the lawsuit was filed over violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Authorities allege that Disney improperly labeled part of its video content on YouTube, resulting in the collection of personal data from children under the age of 13 without parental notice or consent.
Commenting on the decision, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Brett A. Shumate said: “The Justice Department is firmly committed to ensuring that parents have a say in how their children’s information is collected and used. The Department will take swift action to root out any unlawful infringement on parents’ rights to protect their children’s privacy.”
According to case materials, Disney’s YouTube video content has garnered billions of views in the United States. In addition to the fine, the court order prohibits the company from operating on the platform in violation of COPPA and requires Disney to implement a dedicated compliance program to ensure adherence to children’s data protection laws going forward.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that in December 2025, Disney invested $1 billion in OpenAI and signed a three-year licensing agreement, becoming the first major content partner of the Sora platform.