Youtube Biometric Suit Over Video-Editing Tools Can Proceed

Youtube LLC must face a proposed class action alleging it collected users’ biometric information without their consent in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.

The information collected by Youtube and co-defendant Google LLC through the operation of video editing tools on the website fell within BIPA’s definition of “biometric identifiers,” Judge James Donato of the US District Court for the Northern District of California said Wednesday.

Donato denied Youtube’s motion to dismiss.

Nathan Colombo alleged that YouTube violated BIPA by collecting sensitive biometric information through its face-blurring tool and its thumbnail-generating tool without first obtaining written consent or ...