App Developers Settle FTC Charges of Children’s Privacy Violations
Two app developers have agreed to pay a combined $360,000 to settle
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that they allegedly violated
the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by producing and
selling games allowing third-party advertisers to collect personal information
from children. The games, which include My Cake Shop, My Pizza
Shop, Ice Cream Jump and Happy Pudding Jump, appeared to target
children younger than age 14, but the app developers apparently failed
to inform advertisers of that fact, which would have required them to
comply with FTC and COPPA regulations.
“It’s vital that companies understand the rules of the road when it comes
to handling children’s personal information online,” FTC Bureau of
Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich said in a December 17, 2015, press release. “These cases make it clear that we’re closely watching this
space to ensure children’s privacy online is being protected.”
Issue 588
