Microsoft Collect Child Data: Microsoft, a US-based tech company, will have to pay $20 million (165 crores) to deal with the allegations of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC gave this information on Monday (June 5). Microsoft has been accused of illegally stealing personal information from children without their parent’s consent.
Microsoft has stolen the personal data of children who signed up for its Xbox gaming system. They did not take any consent from the parents of the children before keeping the personal data with them. The US government accused Microsoft of violating the Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The Company Did Not Respond To The Allegations
However, Microsoft did not immediately respond to the allegations made by the FTC. The FTC issued an order saying Microsoft needed to take stronger steps to improve privacy protections for child users on its Xbox system. The FTC said it would extend Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) protections to third-party gaming publishers with whom Microsoft shares children’s data.
Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Consumer Protection Bureau, said that our proposed order would work for parents to protect their children’s privacy on Xbox.
COPPA Law Is For Children
According to the Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) law, online services and websites must inform their parents before collecting personal information of children under 13. Ask permission from the parents of the children even before using any information.
From 2015 to 2020, Microsoft kept the data taken from children while creating an account on Xbox. He did not obtain any permission from the parents of the children for this.
