Consumer advocacy groups call on FTC to investigate kids’ apps on Google Play

A coalition of 22 consumer and public health advocacy groups, led by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), have today filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission asking them to investigate and sanction Google for how its Google Play Store markets apps to children. The complaint states that […]

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Oath agrees to pay $5M to settle charges it violated children’s privacy

TechCrunch’s Verizon-owned parent, Oath, an ad tech division made from the merging of AOL and Yahoo, has agreed to pay around $5 million to settle charges that it violated a federal children’s privacy law. The penalty is said to be the largest ever issued under COPPA. The New York Times reported the story yesterday, saying the […]

View More Oath agrees to pay $5M to settle charges it violated children’s privacy

Facebook and Instagram change to crack down on underage children

Facebook and Instagram will more proactively lock the accounts of users its moderators encounter and suspect are below the age of 13. Its former policy was to only investigate accounts if they were reported specifically for being potentially underage. But Facebook confirmed to TechCrunch that an “operational” change to its policy for reviewers made this […]

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Over 20 advocacy groups complain to FTC that YouTube is violating children’s privacy law

A coalition of over 20 child advocacy, consumer and privacy groups filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission asking it to investigate and sanction YouTube for violation of federal children’s privacy laws. Specifically, the groups say YouTube is violating COPPA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires that websites directed at children […]

View More Over 20 advocacy groups complain to FTC that YouTube is violating children’s privacy law

After breach exposing millions of parents and kids, toymaker VTech handed a $650K fine by FTC

 VTech, the maker of smart toys whose poor security practices exposed data from millions of parents and children, has been slapped on the wrist by the FTC to the tune of $650,000 and probation. It’s not much of a penalty for such a multifaceted failure affecting so many. Read More

View More After breach exposing millions of parents and kids, toymaker VTech handed a $650K fine by FTC

Facebook “Messenger Kids” lets under-13s chat with whom parents approve

 For the first time, Facebook is opening up to children under age 13 with a privacy-focused app designed to neutralize child predator threats that plague youth-focused competitors like Snapchat. Rolling out today on iOS in the US, “Messenger Kids” lets parents download the app on their child’s phone or tablet, create a profile for them, and approve friends and family who they… Read More

View More Facebook “Messenger Kids” lets under-13s chat with whom parents approve