video game company Epic Games to pay $520 million fines, one $275 million and the other $245 million for violating the privacy of minors By collecting personal information for Fortnite games and using “deceptive” methods to obtain subscribers and data for that game.
The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed separate notices about agreements reached with the company to take responsibility for these crimes.
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On the one hand, Epic Games agreed to pay a $275 million fine with the United States Department of Justice. For violating the privacy of minors by collecting personal information for Fortnite. This is the highest fine ever for violation of the Children’s Internet Protection Act in the United States.
On the other hand, the company will also pay $245 million, which will be used to refund video game consumers directly. In this case, Epic Games admits resorting to “misleading” configurations for video game userschildren and adolescents among them, so they subscribe and give their data.
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In its lawsuit, the Justice Department alleged that Epic Games knowingly collected personal information from minors, including their names and email addresses, and identified and logged them to track their in-game activity, purchases, and even payments. .
Moreover, Epic Games did not inform the parents of the children that it was collecting this information.broke the rules as required by law, and also by allowing adult Fortnite players to contact minors.
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Prosecutor Vanita Gupta said the Department of Justice hopes this “historic” deal will set an “example” for all video game providers and has warned that collecting information about minors without parental consent will “not be tolerated”.
“Parents have a right to know and give consent before companies collect information about their children.said Brian M. Boynton, attorney general for Civil Law at the Department of Justice. Lina M. Kain, director of the FTC, stressed that protecting citizens, particularly children and adolescents, is a “priority” of this body.
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-Parents whose children made an unauthorized credit card purchase from the Epic Games Store between January 2017 and November 2018.
-Players who received in-game currency (V-Bucks) for unwanted in-game items (such as cosmetic upgrades, llamas, or battle tickets) between January 2017 and September 2022.
-Players whose accounts were blocked between January 2017 and September 2022 after disputing unauthorized payments with credit card companies.
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for now refund can only be requested by residents of the United States. Those who are deemed appropriate should pay attention to the information that the game will share on this subject.
“Once we have more information about the refund program, we will post updates on the website and send email notifications to customers paying for in-game purchases,” the company said on its website.
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*With information from WEATHER TRENDS
Source: Exame
I am Bret Jackson, a professional journalist and author for Gadget Onus, where I specialize in writing about the gaming industry. With over 6 years of experience in my field, I have built up an extensive portfolio that ranges from reviews to interviews with top figures within the industry. My work has been featured on various news sites, providing readers with insightful analysis regarding the current state of gaming culture.
