The US Federal Trade Commission announced that it fined Epic Games $ 520 million. While it was stated that the company violated a law that protects children, it was also stated that it directed people to make unwanted purchases.
Epic Games, the company behind games such as Fortnite, Fall Guys, which are very popular especially among children, From the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received a huge penalty. The company was accused of violating a law on the protection of children. 520 million He stated that he would pay a fine of
The FTC states that Epic Games used design tricks to enable millions of users to make unintentional purchases, and it’s called “COPPA” for short.Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act stated infringement.
2 fines of $275 and $245 million
In the statements made, it was stated that as a result of the agreement between the parties, the payment of 520 million dollars will be made in two ways. Accordingly, COPPA violation $275 million will be paid as This will go down in history as the largest fine ever for violating FTC rules.
On the other hand, the second payment will be $245 million due to refunds to customers. The institution states that the reason for this penalty is Epic’s “tricking players into making unwanted purchases” defines as. It is also among the allegations that Epic makes returns and cancellations difficult. The FTC adds that it will set up a site for users who believe they have been unfairly charged to request a refund.
Epic Games, on the other hand, said that it will pay both penalties, and used the following statements:We accepted this agreement because we want Epic to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for players.”
Children are harassed and abused while playing Fortnite, according to FTC
The FTC noted that Epic violated COPPA by collecting the personal information of children under the age of 13, while also referring to chat features that are turned on by default. Accordingly, children were exposed to harassment and abuse due to features such as live text and voice chat. Pointing to Fortnite, the FTC said in its statement on the subject, “Children are exposed to situations such as bullying, threats and harassment while playing games.” and emphasized that the company violated the law.
Epic Games, on the other hand, drew attention to the secure accounts system that it announced in the past weeks. In the new system, which covers users aged 13 and under, parental consent was required while preventing children from using some features.
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