Microsoft to Pay $20 Million Fine for Violating Children’s Privacy

Microsoft to Pay $20 Million Fine for Violating Children’s Privacy
Microsoft logo on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters on Jan. 18, 2022. Dado Ruvic/Reuters
Naveen Athrappully
Updated:
0:00

Tech giant Microsoft has agreed to pay a multi-million dollar settlement to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for illegally collecting children’s personal information without parental consent.

The $20 million settlement came after the FTC charged Microsoft for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). According to COPPA rules, websites and online services open to children below the age of 13 must notify parents regarding the personal information collected. The service should also obtain verifiable consent from parents before collecting and using such information, according to a June 5 FTC press release.
Naveen Athrappully
Naveen Athrappully
Author
Naveen Athrappully is a news reporter covering business and world events at The Epoch Times.
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