![]() ![]() The video game industry is a place of fast-moving innovation, where player expectations are high and new ideas are paramount,” Epic’s statement reads. “No developer creates a game with the intention of ending up here. The firm said that it has already implemented a number of changes in regards to both child protections and monetization practices. In a statement today, Epic Games acknowledged the settlements and said that it reflected evolving standards in the video game industry. It also let children purchase Fortnite’s V-Bucks in-game currency without parental confirmation, and would block accounts for users who disputed unintentional purchases with their credit card company. As for the other settlement, the FTC alleged that Epic used a “counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration” to trick players into making unintentional in-game purchases to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Epic also made things difficult for parents who wished to then delete that data, the agency claims, and did not always follow through once requested.įurthermore, Epic Games enabled voice and text chat by default for young players, yielding potential harassment from other users. The record-setting COPPA penalty pertains to allegations by the agency that Epic Games collected personal data from children under 13 without notifying their parents. "These enforcement actions make clear to businesses that the FTC is cracking down on these unlawful practices.” "Epic used privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children," said FTC Chair Lina M. The $520 million sum includes a $275 million penalty that will be paid to the agency for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), while another $245 million will be refunded to affected users via the FTC over what it calls “dark patterns and billing practices.” The FTC announced the settlements Monday morning. Epic Games is valued at $31.5 billion and is working to “build the metaverse.”Įpic Games, creator of popular online action game Fortnite and a self-described metaverse builder, will pay a total of $520 million in settlements to the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for failing to protect children’s privacy in the game, as well as for deceptive practices regarding in-game purchases. ![]() Fortnite creator Epic Games will pay $520 million in FTC settlements regarding allegations over in-game purchases and protecting young players. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |