World

Microsoft Illegally Collected Children’s Data, Will Pay $20 Million To Settle Charges

On Monday, US Federal Trade Commission(FTC) said, Microsoft will pay $20 million to settle to charges for illegally collecting personal data from children without their parent’s consent.

Microsoft collected data without parent’s consent

According to FTC, the company is booked under charges of violating the US Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal information from children who signed up to its Xbox gaming system without their parents permission. The giant tech also retained children’s personal information as well.

Microsoft should improve privacy protections: FTC

The FTC further mentioned that Microsoft should improve privacy protections for child users of its Xbox system. “Our proposed order makes it easier for parents to protect their children’s privacy on Xbox, and limits what information Microsoft can collect and retain about kids,” said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. He further added, “This action should also make it abundantly clear that kids’ avatars, biometric data, and health information are not exempt from COPPA.”

Microsoft retained collected data for 5 years

According to law websites and online services should take consent before collecting and using personal information from children under 13. As per the complaint, Microsoft retained data from 2015-2020 that is collected from children during account creation procees, even when the parent did not complete the process.

Also Read:  Microsoft 365 Is Down As Thousands Of Users Face Outage Issues

Shivanshi Srivastava

Recent Posts

IND vs ZIM 1st T20I: New Era Begins With A 13-Run Defeat For India In Harare

Captain Gill remained at the crease, battling against the odds, and was joined by another…

4 hours ago

Future Leaders Emerge: Christ University Delhi NCR Hosts Grand 4th Convocation

Guest of Honor, Ms. Anjana Om Kashyap, lauded the university's holistic approach to education, highlighting…

6 hours ago

Two Soldiers Martyred, Four Terrorists Killed In Kulgam Encounter

Jammu and Kashmir DGP R R Swain stated on Wednesday that law-enforcement agencies and security…

6 hours ago

From Humble Beginnings To Crore-Turnover: Tejas Lengre’s Journey In Agriculture And Animal Husbandry

The story of Tejas Lengre illustrates that even without extensive education, one can achieve remarkable…

7 hours ago

1 Dead, Many Feared Trapped As 6-Storey Building Collapses In Gujarat

The police and fire department officials have rushed to the spot and are carrying out…

8 hours ago

Rahul Gandhi Jabs PM Modi In Gujarat, Says, “We Won Ayodhya, Will Defeat BJP”

Rahul Gandhi's visit and statements underscored the escalating political tensions between the Congress and BJP…

9 hours ago