A report from ad quality transparency platform Adalytics<\/a> suggests that YouTube served adult-focused ads on almost 100 videos considered \u201cmade for kids<\/a>.\u201d Some of these ads reportedly involved content inappropriate for children, such as car wrecks, medical injuries, and clips from TV-MA shows. Adalytics found that the websites linked in the ads transmitted cookies to their devices that could serve targeted ads to kids, too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As pointed out by Adalytics, Google\u2019s own policies<\/a> say ads on content made for kids must not use third-party trackers or collect personal information without getting permission from a parent. Dan Taylor, Google\u2019s vice president of global ads, reiterates this policy in a response on Google\u2019s website<\/a>, where he calls Adalytics\u2019 report \u201cdeeply flawed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe do not allow the use of\u00a0third-party trackers\u00a0in advertisements served on made for kids content on YouTube,\u201d Taylor writes. \u201cThis report falsely claims that the presence of cookies indicates a privacy breakdown. The opposite is true, and the report fails to show otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Adalytics\u2019 research has already drawn the attention of Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). In a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan<\/a>, the two lawmakers urge the agency to look into Adalytics\u2019 claims, noting \u201cYouTube and Google may have violated COPPA \u2014 as well as its 2019 FTC consent decree<\/a> \u2014 in an egregious manner.\u201d The Children\u2019s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires online platforms to receive parental permission to collect data from users under the age of 13. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The report is having an impact on advertisers as well, with some major companies, including IPG Mediabrands, advising clients to pause ads on YouTube, according to Insider<\/em><\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Google is already facing scrutiny over a previous Adalytics report that suggests the company misled advertisers over where it placed video ads<\/a>. Google called that research flawed as well, despite a report by Ad Age<\/em><\/a> saying at least one ad agency exec told the outlet that Google refunded some clients over discrepancies, a move Google representatives said was \u201cnot uncommon\u201d and that issuing credits is part of normal relationship building with advertisers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n