This may be a British/American English gaffe. Collective nouns in British English are referred to using plurals, e.g. "Apple are planning a new product," vs. the American "Apple is planning a new product."
If the majority of people refer to collective nouns as singular than that is the correct way to use them because the "correct way" is only ever defined by the majority.
How is the pronunciation of a word decided? Majority of people saying it one way. How do people agree upon the meaning of a word? Majority of people using it to mean something. How does grammar become more lax? Majority of people speak with fewer restrictions.
i contest the moderne way of speech is to be thovght proper as he has argvede, bvt the olde way of speeking is the trve way!