Epic Games fined $520 million USD by the FTC over COPPA violations and misleading gaming features

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Epic Games is in the eye of the storm once again. This time, Epic has been fined by the United States' Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the reason being collecting data from children under the age of 13 and also pairing children with other people around the world, failing to adhere to proper parental control and giving an entry for children to be harassed, bullied and threated online, for which Epic Games is being fined $275 million USD by the FTC.

Not only that, but Epic is also getting another fine regarding their in-game store and refund system, with a sum of $245 million USD. This comes from the way in which Epic lays out their button and UI configurations to trick the users into making unwanted purchases, and also, there have been mentions of parents claiming their kids make additional purchases based on the credit card information they used from a previous purchase, meaning that the subsequent purchases didn't require any form of verification or validation.

To make matters worse for Epic Games, they are currently facing a class-action lawsuit in Canada by parents claiming the game is made specifically designed in a way to make the game addictive, which might fall under the World Health Organization's definition of "gaming disorder" as an illness. Canada approved the lawsuit, and it still remains to be seen what might come out of it in court.

:arrow: Epic Game's Official Post
:arrow: Source #1
:arrow: Source #2
 

Maximumbeans

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Wait, they got fined because kids got shit talked by the people they were paired with? I hate to reach for this overused phrase but that really does seem like a slippery slope. I don’t understand what they can really do about that.
 

Luke94

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Speaking of what if Jazz Jackrabbit 3D was never officially cancelled would they do the thing with Jazz?
Post automatically merged:

When the apple lawsuit began, epic did an advertisement video about it for whatever reason.

How the advertisement video of this lawsuit is going to be? Maybe an adult inside a rape van dirty talking with young kids on Fortnite in game chat?
I heard according to social media Twitter account it turned out that Epic Games founder and CEO is hypocrite himself that has his own Apple iPad.
 

Marc_LFD

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More companies should be sued for misleading and false advertisement.

Here's one:



The reason why the journalist/host isn't doing his show is due to health issues (two heart attacks), but using his name and thumbnail is very much false advertisement and clickbait.

This issue has been brought up to them and they're aware, yet they still do it regardless. Disgraceful.

My point is, viewers who click on videos featuring Mark Steyn want to watch Mark Steyn, not someone else.

Moreover, because of this I started using an add-on that shows a part of the video rather than the thumbnail so I can see what the actual video is about.

End of rant about a company tricking viewers.
 

Luke94

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I wish mainstream media these days,nowadays would still talk about Unreal Tournament and Jazz Jackrabbit.
 

V800

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Well, i mean, it's really easy to click on a box to say "yes i'm 13 or above", so easy that even a 8 y/o child can do that...
They also couldn't ask for proof, since this would be collecting actual data, so...
The fact that they paires child under 13 with other people around the world shouldn't be on them since, well, there's literally nothing anyone can do about that...
You know that pop up that asks you if you are over 18 when you go on pornhub? Do you REALLY think a 14 y/o horny boy will click on "No i'm not, get me out of here"?
I disagree. You can have different accounts based on age and discriminate game modes according to said accounts. The same way Survival mode and Capture the flag are separate within the server, you can either:
1) make pg-13 modes which can only be played with a pg account
2) include these game modes in-game so players can choose
3) create an altogether separate server for minors
I recognize the difficulties and the cost of implementing these measures. And, as you said, as a company, you can't help it if a minor is posing as an adult, but doing nothing leads to be fined.
 

linuxares

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I want american government to pay Epic Games to do Jazz Jackrabbit sequel.
Epic will never care about Jack Jazzrabbit. Can you please STOP posting about it all the time please?
No one except you care about that franchise. Epic earn way to much money on Multiplayer games compared to a platformer that barley anyone remembers.
 

JaapDaniels

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Epic will never care about Jack Jazzrabbit. Can you please STOP posting about it all the time please?
No one except you care about that franchise. Epic earn way to much money on Multiplayer games compared to a platformer that barley anyone remembers.
Don't you mean Jazz Jackrabbit? Cause i don't remember a game called jack jazzrabit ever being a thing,
You might not care, but i sure do.
I'm so glad i can make my own opinion as should @Luke94 .
We don't care for your opinion, and i don't remember us asking for it.
 
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SylverReZ

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Epic will never care about Jack Jackrabbit. Can you please STOP posting about it all the time please?
No one except you care about that franchise. Epic earn way to much money on multiplayer games compared to a platformer that barely anyone remembers.
I don't know about you but that's gonna draw more attention to him, leading him to make more shitposts about the thing.
 

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