Disney agreed to pay a $10 million fine for collecting children's data on YouTube without proper designation of videos as 'Made for Kids,' violating federal privacy laws. The company will improve its video classification practices and adopt age verification technology to comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed new rules under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to restrict the collection and use of children's data by tech companies, particularly for targeted advertising. The proposed changes aim to prevent companies from outsourcing their responsibilities to parents and would require separate parental consent for disclosing data to third parties. Companies would also be prohibited from using persistent identifiers in push notifications to encourage children to return to their apps. The proposed regulations include limits on data retention and require school approval for data collection by education tech firms. The FTC will collect public feedback on the proposal for 60 days before finalizing the rules.
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), arguing that the agency lacks the constitutional authority to modify a 2020 settlement over the company's alleged lack of privacy protections for children. The FTC had proposed cutting off Meta's ability to monetize data from users under 18 years old. Meta has accused the FTC of exceeding its powers and infringing on its property rights. The company claims to have invested billions of dollars in implementing changes required by the 2020 settlement and views the FTC's actions as a "power grab." The outcome of the lawsuit could impact Meta's ability to profit from children's data and use facial recognition technology.
Instagram-parent Meta has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prevent the reopening of its $5 billion privacy settlement from 2020 and to block the FTC from banning the monetization of children's user data. Meta argues that the FTC's actions are an unconstitutional abuse of power. The lawsuit comes after a federal judge ruled that the FTC proceeding could move forward. The proposed restrictions could significantly impact Meta's data-driven business, particularly in targeting younger users and expanding into new product areas. This lawsuit is part of a broader trend of legal challenges to the authority of independent federal agencies.
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office has fined TikTok $15.9 million for allegedly misusing the data of children under age 13 and not providing proper information to users about how their data is collected, used, and shared. The app is popular with young people and up to 1.4 million children under age 13 used it in 2020. TikTok CEO Shou Chew testified before Congress last month that the app is free from any manipulation from any government.