Makers of videogame Fortnite have been fined a record $520m (£428m) by the US’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The fine is a two part penalty for Epic Games, the video game company behind Fortnite. The company was fined for tricking players into making in-game purchases and for storing children’s data without parental consent.
How much did Epic Games pay to the FTC?
Epic Games has agreed to pay more than half a billion dollars to the Federal Trade Commission for privacy violations. The company will pay $275 million for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the largest fine ever and $245 million as refunds to customers who spent money “for its dark patterns and billing practices.”
Did Fortnite violate Coppa?
The settlement includes a record $275 million penalty to settle alleged violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) and $245 million over a purchasing setup that could trick players and allow them to buy things by accident. Fortnite made over $9 billion during its first two years in existence.
