Archive · 6 Oct 2026
San Diego County Sues AppLovin Over Explicit Ads to Children
San Diego County has sued a company called AppLovin.
The county says AppLovin helped place ads in games that children were playing.
Some ads were for adult services, alcohol, vaping, cannabis or sexual content.
The lawsuit says the company tracked children even when parental controls were turned on.
It also says the company gathered private information about children’s devices and activities.
AppLovin’s stated rules say it does not knowingly collect children’s information or show them ads.
The company had not immediately responded to the lawsuit.
The county filed two other lawsuits on the same day, against Roblox and Polymaker.
San Diego County alleges AppLovin bypassed parental controls to show children ads for adult services, alcohol, vaping, cannabis and sexual content.
The lawsuit says the company used fingerprinting to track children despite ad-tracking opt-outs and collected sensitive location and activity data.
The complaint cites screenshots of explicit and cannabis-related ads displayed in games on an Android device configured for a six-year-old.
AppLovin’s policies say it does not knowingly collect children’s personal information or serve advertisements to children; the company did not immediately comment.
The suit is one of three filed by a newly formed county consumer-protection unit, which also sued Roblox and Polymaker.
- Who
- San Diego County sued AppLovin Corp., a mobile advertising technology company.
- What
- The county alleges AppLovin bypassed parental controls, tracked children and served them inappropriate ads.
- When
- The lawsuit was filed Monday; the article does not give a calendar date.
- Where
- San Diego Superior Court; the alleged ads appeared in mobile games and apps.
- Why
- The county alleges AppLovin used children’s data for advertising despite parental controls and tracking opt-outs.
San Diego County’s allegations
AppLovin’s stated position
Children’s data and tracking
San Diego County’s allegations
The county alleges AppLovin used fingerprinting to bypass parental controls and opt-outs, collecting sensitive data from children’s devices for ad targeting.
AppLovin’s stated position
AppLovin’s policies say it does not knowingly collect children’s personal information; the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ads shown to children
San Diego County’s allegations
The lawsuit alleges that games marked appropriate for children displayed ads for adult services and explicit content, including on a device configured for a six-year-old.
AppLovin’s stated position
AppLovin’s policies state that it does not knowingly serve advertisements to children.
- Plaintiff
- San Diego County
- Defendant
- AppLovin Corp.
- Court
- San Diego Superior Court
- Alleged tracking method
- Fingerprinting
- Alleged ad content
- Adult dating services, alcohol, vaping, cannabis and graphic sexual content
- Other lawsuits filed
- The county also sued Roblox Corp. and Polymaker.
- AppLovin policy
- The company says it does not knowingly collect personal information from children or serve advertisements to children.