Skip to content

Corruption Ledger

The Public Ledger of Corruption

  • Home
  • About CL
  • Rumble
  • Video
  • corruption
    • corporate corruption
    • government corruption
    • leaks
    • Misinformation
    • Surveillance
  • cryptocurrency
  • Sanctions Feeds
    • All Sanctions Feeds
    • Canadian Sanctions
    • US Sanctions
  • Toggle search form

Epic Games Inc., Developer of Fortnite Video Game, Agrees to $275 Million Penalty and Injunction for Alleged Violations of Children’s Privacy Law

Posted on December 19, 2022December 23, 2022 By CorruptionLedger No Comments on Epic Games Inc., Developer of Fortnite Video Game, Agrees to $275 Million Penalty and Injunction for Alleged Violations of Children’s Privacy Law
The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced a settlement that, if approved by a federal court, will require Epic Games Inc. (Epic Games) to pay $275 million in civil penalties as part of a settlement to resolve alleged violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule), and the Federal Trade Commission Act. Epic Games will also be subject to a permanent injunction regarding children’s personal information that it previously collected. Epic Games is the developer of the online video game “Fortnite.”

In a complaint filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the government alleged that Epic Games designed and marketed Fortnite for use by children. The government further alleged that Epic Games possessed actual knowledge that it collected personal information from children, including their names, email addresses, and identifiers used to keep track of players’ progress, purchases, settings, and friends lists. Epic Games nonetheless failed to notify parents that it was collecting children’s personal information and to obtain verifiable parental consent for that collection, as required by the COPPA Rule. The government further alleged that Epic Games maintained default privacy settings that were unfair under Section 5 of the FTC Act, in that the default privacy settings publicly broadcast child and teen Fortnite players’ display names and put children and teens in direct, real-time communication with adult Fortnite players.

“The Justice Department takes very seriously its mission to protect consumers’ data privacy rights,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This proposed order sends a message to all online providers that collecting children’s personal information without parental consent will not be tolerated.”

“Parents have a right to know and to consent before companies collect their children’s personal information,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to enforcing the protections against unauthorized collection of information from consumers, particularly children.”

“As our complaint notes, Epic used privacy-invasive default settings that harmed young Fortnite players,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “Protecting the public, and especially children and teens, from online privacy invasions is a top priority for the Commission, and this enforcement action makes clear to businesses that the FTC is cracking down on these unlawful practices.”

“This historic civil penalty, totaling over a quarter-billion dollars, lays down a marker for online service providers everywhere,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The unauthorized collection of personal information from children online violates the law. The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission have a strong partnership and are committed to deterring violations.”

In a proposed stipulated order filed today, Epic Games has agreed to pay $275 million in civil penalties, the largest civil penalty ever imposed for a COPPA violation. If approved by the court, the order will prohibit Epic Games from collecting personal information from children in a manner that violates the COPPA Rule. It will also prohibit Epic Games from using children’s personal information that was previously collected unless it obtains verifiable parental consent, and imposes compliance reporting obligations upon Epic Games. Further, the agreement requires Epic Games to maintain default privacy settings that protect children’s and teens’ privacy, to delete certain personal information of children that it previously collected, and to maintain a comprehensive privacy program that protects certain personal information.

This matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Michael Wadden and Josh Fowkes and Assistant Director Lisa Hsiao of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. Andrew Hasty, James Trilling, and Amanda Koulousias represented the FTC.

For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
surveillance & privacy Tags:DOJ, Justice.gov

Post navigation

Previous Post: January 6 committee expected to announce referral of multiple criminal charges against Trump to DOJ
Next Post: Jan 6 panel calls for insurrection, fraud charges against Trump

Related Posts

  • Are social media companies employing ex-spies? corporate corruption
  • Clearview AI settlement: Will stop selling facial recognition tool to private firms and continue working with law enforcement corporate corruption
  • Bill Gates calls for global surveillance for pandemic threats, and Gates would be in charge health corruption
  • Meta Fined €390 Million by Irish DPC for Alleged Breaches of GDPR, Including in Behavioral Advertising Context surveillance & privacy
  • Whole Foods Settles BIPA Voiceprint Class Action  surveillance & privacy
  • Portuguese Data Protection Authority fines the National Institute of Statistics € 4.3 million surveillance & privacy

Comment Cancel reply

  • Glenn Greenwald: Revealed – Mass Media Complicity in “Russian Disinformation” Fraud, w/ Matt Taibbi | SYSTEM UPDATE #30January 30, 2023
  • Reports of drone attacks in Iran and SyriaJanuary 29, 2023
  • AP: Ukraine Corruption Scandal; U.S. likely to OK sending Abrams tanksJanuary 29, 2023
  • Classified documents probe pushes Biden think tank into spotlightJanuary 29, 2023
  • British PM Sunak fires party chairman over tax bill allegationsJanuary 29, 2023
  • North Korea calls U.S. pledge of tanks to Ukraine ‘unethical crime’January 28, 2023
  • Usain Bolt fires business manager over Jamaica fraud caseJanuary 27, 2023
  • Canada’s Supreme Court gives mixed rulings on gun crime penaltiesJanuary 27, 2023
  • China, U.S. spar at WTO meeting over disputesJanuary 27, 2023
  • David J. Miller and Minnesota Independent Cooperative, Inc., Convicted in Multi-Million-Dollar Prescription Drug Diversion SchemeJanuary 27, 2023
  • Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe: Thousands deadJanuary 27, 2023
  • Turkey says Sweden complicit in hate crime, NATO talks pointlessJanuary 26, 2023
  • Five Members and Associates of White Supremacist Gang Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering, Kidnapping, and MurderJanuary 26, 2023
  • Justice Department Finds Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections Violates the Constitution By Incarcerating People Beyond Their Release DatesJanuary 25, 2023
  • Four Men Convicted of Engaging in a Child Exploitation EnterpriseJanuary 25, 2023
  • AP: Twitter faces lawsuits over unpaid rent for HQ offices in U.S., UKJanuary 24, 2023
  • U.S. Justice Department sues Google over digital advertising dominanceJanuary 24, 2023
  • Defence minister won’t say whether Canada is willing to send battle tanks to UkraineJanuary 23, 2023
  • Norway detains former top Wagner Group member seeking asylum, Andrey MedvedevJanuary 23, 2023
  • Finance companies and their directors fined for misconductJanuary 23, 2023
  • anti-government resistance
  • corruption
  • crime
  • dimwit crimes
  • economy
  • human rights
  • investigations
  • leaks
  • misinformation & censorship
  • political unrest
  • regulatory
  • sanctions
  • surveillance & privacy
  • war
  • who cares?

Corruption Ledger Follow

The Public ▇▇▇ Ledger of ▇▇▇ Corruption. https://t.co/wkobrEotQR

5amResearch
Corruption Ledger @5amresearch ·
3h

Cryptome content is reliable. Why is their @Twitter account permanently banned, however? https://twitter.com/Cryptome_org @Cryptome_org

Alex @Alex06944477

@MsQuitoSwarm @YouTube This seems to be legit, i read about the CIA-Operation "Aerodynamic" on the heise online german news platform
https://cryptome.org/2016/01/cia-ua-aerodynamic.pdf

Reply on Twitter 1622040205074075652 Retweet on Twitter 1622040205074075652 Like on Twitter 1622040205074075652
Retweet on Twitter Corruption Ledger Retweeted
System Update @systemupdate_ ·
2 Feb

.@RepMTG on protecting whistleblowers like Snowden & Assange:

“When a govt. is trying to stop the truth from being told… that’s something to pay attention to… We have to do everything we can to protect those whistleblowers who are risking their lives to tell the truth.”

Reply on Twitter 1621266228009394179 Retweet on Twitter 1621266228009394179 118 Like on Twitter 1621266228009394179 485
Retweet on Twitter Corruption Ledger Retweeted
Corruption Ledger @5amresearch ·
31 Jan

The most uplifting news in ages: #France brings new meaning to "Power to the People" - unionized energy workers give free power to low income people, cut off electricity for the powerful. #vivelafrance https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230127-robin-hood-energy-strikers-give-free-power-to-french-schools-hospitals-low-income-homes

Reply on Twitter 1620285867926622208 Retweet on Twitter 1620285867926622208 3 Like on Twitter 1620285867926622208
Corruption Ledger @5amresearch ·
31 Jan

The most uplifting news in ages: #France brings new meaning to "Power to the People" - unionized energy workers give free power to low income people, cut off electricity for the powerful. #vivelafrance https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230127-robin-hood-energy-strikers-give-free-power-to-french-schools-hospitals-low-income-homes

Reply on Twitter 1620285867926622208 Retweet on Twitter 1620285867926622208 3 Like on Twitter 1620285867926622208
Load More
  • UK government webinar on Russia trade sanctions & commercial services
    EU Sanctions - UK 1 day ago
  • US designates international sanctions evasion network
    EU Sanctions - UK 1 day ago
  • Security Council ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Amends 29 Entries to Its Sancti...
    UN.org 2 days ago
  • Canada Amends Myanmar Sanctions: 6 Individuals Targeted and New Prohibition on Aviation Fuel
    Baker Mckenzie - Canada 2 days ago
  • Oil Price Cap Update: Refined Products
    OFSI 2 days ago
  • United States: Government Designates Russian Proxy Wagner Group as a Significant Transnational Crimi...
    Sanctions – Global Compliance News 2 days ago
  • Ukraine introduces a new set of sanctions against Russian and Belarusian companies
    Baker McKenzie UK 2 days ago
  • United States: OFAC issues amended Russia-related General Licenses and related FAQs
    Sanctions – Global Compliance News 2 days ago
  • Oil broker arrested over supply of 18,000 tonnes of diesel to North Korea
    EU Sanctions - UK 3 days ago
  • Switzerland implements the 9th package of EU sanctions against Russia
    Baker Mckenzie US 3 days ago
  • Statement by Minister Ng on U.S. request for dispute settlement panel on tariff rate quotas for Cana...
    Canada.ca 4 days ago
  • UK, US & Canada impose sanctions to mark anniversary of Myanmar coup
    EU Sanctions - UK 4 days ago
  • US Government Designates Russian Proxy Wagner Group as a Significant Transnational Criminal Organiza...
    Baker McKenzie UK 5 days ago
  • UK Court judgment on the impact of sanctions on litigation / judgments involving designated persons;...
    EU Sanctions - UK 5 days ago
  • Japan introduces further sanctions against Russia
    Baker Mckenzie US 5 days ago
  • AP: Ukraine Corruption Scandal; U.S. likely to OK sending Abrams tanks
    JapanToday 6 days ago
  • Classified documents probe pushes Biden think tank into spotlight
    JapanToday 6 days ago
  • British PM Sunak fires party chairman over tax bill allegations
    JapanToday 6 days ago
  • North Korea calls U.S. pledge of tanks to Ukraine 'unethical crime'
    JapanToday 7 days ago
  • OFAC Issues Amended Russia-Related General Licenses and Related FAQs
    Baker McKenzie UK 7 days ago
1
2
3
…
Next

–

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
  • Reports of drone attacks in Iran and Syria war
  • Hydra market taken down by German police and sanctioned by U.S. corruption
  • U.S. Complaint Agreement on Jackson, Mississippi Interim Solution to Water Crisis human rights
  • Glenn Greenwald: Media Refuses to Retract their “Russian Disinformation” Lie as NYT & WP Authenticate the Emails corruption
  • U.S. Accuses Russia of War Crimes in Ukraine war
  • Court Orders Five Defendants in International Ponzi Scheme to Pay Over $13.1 Million corruption

Copyright © 2022 Corruption Ledger. This web site contains no ads.