The inquiry comes despite Google agreeing to pay $170 million in 2019 to settle allegations that YouTube collected personal data on children without their parents’ consent.
In a letter sent this week to YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, the U.S. House Oversight and Reform subcommittee on economic and consumer policy said YouTube does not do enough to protect kids from material that could harm them. Instead it relies on artificial intelligence and creators’ self-regulation to decide what videos make it on to the platform, according to the letter from the committee’s chairman, Illinois Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi.
And despite changes in the wake of the 2019 settlement, the letter notes, YouTube Kids still shows ads to children. But instead of basing it on kids’ online activity, it now targets it based on the videos they are watching.
YouTube said it has sought to provide kids and families with protections and controls enabling them to view age-appropriate content. It also emphasized that the 2019 settlement was over the regular YouTube platform, not the kids version.
“We’ve made significant investments in the YouTube Kids app to make it safer and to serve more educational and enriching content for kids, based on principles developed with experts and parents,” the company said.
This story is from the Techlife News #493 edition of Techlife News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Techlife News #493 edition of Techlife News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
7 CHINA BANS EXPORTS TO US OF GALLIUM, GERMANIUM, ANTIMONY IN RESPONSE TO CHIP SANCTIONS
China announced this week it is banning exports to the United States of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications, as a general principle, lashing back at U.S. limits on semiconductor-related exports.
FINANCIAL AND COMMUNITY HURDLES SLOW GEOTHERMAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Providing round-the-clock energy, using minimal space and considered a clean source of power-geothermal energy seems like an ideal option for countries like Indonesia and the Philippines, where the potential is high, and governments are seeking to transition away from highly polluting fossil fuels.
CANADIAN NEWS PUBLISHERS SUE OPENAI OVER ALLEGED COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
A coalition of Canadian news publishers, including The Canadian Press, Torstar, Globe and Mail, Postmedia and CBC/Radio-Canada, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI for using news content to train its ChatGPT generative artificial intelligence system.
AUSTRALIA IS BANNING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PEOPLE UNDER 16. COULD THIS WORK ELSEWHERE - OR EVEN THERE?
It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history — one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids off social media until they turn 16.
BANK OF AMERICA SIGNS AGAIN WITH FIFA FOR US-HOSTED CLUB WORLD CUP THAT STILL HAS NO TV DEALS
World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start.
AT&T SEES EARNINGS GROWTH OVER NEXT 3 YEARS; EYES MORE THAN $40B IN ANTICIPATED SHAREHOLDER RETURNS
AT&T anticipates earnings growth over the next three years thanks to the momentum of 5G and fiber services.
IN A WORLD OF GREAT NEED THERE ARE MORE WAYS TO DONATE MONEY THAN EVER.HOW SHOULD YOU GIVE?
Millions displaced by global conflicts. Communities reeling from unseasonably strong natural disasters. Lives upended due to healthcare inequalities.
US EXPANDS LIST OF CHINESE TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES UNDER EXPORT CONTROLS
The U.S. Commerce Department has expanded the list of Chinese technology companies subject to export controls to include many that make equipment used to make computer chips, chipmaking tools and software.
INTEL CEO GELSINGER RETIRES; ZINSNER AND JOHNSTON HOLTHAUS NAMED INTERIM CO-CEOS
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired, the struggling chipmaker said Monday in a surprise announcement.
LANDLORDS ARE USING AI TO RAISE RENTS.AND CALIFORNIA CITIES ARE LEADING THE PUSHBACK
If you've hunted for apartments recently and felt like all the rents were equally high, you're not crazy: Many landlords now use a single company's software - which uses an algorithm based on proprietary lease information ― to help set rent prices.
