Disney has agreed to pay 10 million US dollars to settle claims that it broke child privacy laws in the United States. A federal court approved the settlement after accusations were brought by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with support from the Department of Justice.
The case is based on claims that Disney collected personal data from children without getting permission from their parents. This allegedly happened through videos posted on Disney’s YouTube channels.
According to US authorities, Disney wrongly labelled more than 300 videos as “not made for kids,” even though they included popular children’s content such as Frozen, Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Mickey Mouse. YouTube rules require creators to clearly mark content made for children so that children’s data is protected.
Under US law, companies are not allowed to collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without informing and getting consent from parents. By mislabelling the videos, Disney is accused of breaking these rules.
As part of the settlement, Disney must also change how it runs its YouTube channels and set up a strong programme to ensure it follows child data protection laws in the future.
US Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said the government is committed to protecting children’s privacy and ensuring parents have control over how their children’s information is collected and used.
Disney, one of the world’s largest entertainment companies, reported revenues of more than 94 billion dollars in the 2025 financial year. The company has not yet publicly commented on the settlement.
The case highlights growing global concern about how large media and technology companies handle children’s personal data online.
