VTech to settle charges it violated children's privacy -U.S. FTC

VTech Holdings

08/01/2018 17:13

WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Electronic toymaker VTech has 
agreed to settle charges that the company violated a U.S. 
children's privacy law by collecting personal information 
without providing notice or obtaining parental consent, the 
Federal Trade Commission said on Monday. 
    Hong Kong-based VTech Electronics Ltd and its U.S. 
subsidiary agreed to pay $650,000 to settle the charges brought 
by the FTC, the U.S. agency said in a statement. The two are 
part of Hong Kong-based VTech Holdings Ltd 0303.HK .  
    The FTC alleged in a complaint filed by the Justice 
Department that the Kid Connect application sold with some of 
VTech's electronic toys collected personal information of 
hundreds of thousands of children without parental consent. The 
firm also failed to take reasonable steps to secure the data it 
collected, the FTC said. 
     
      
 
 (Reporting by Susan Heavey; Writing by David Alexander; Editing 
by Tim Ahmann) 
 ((202-898-8300; Reuters Messaging: 
susan.heavey.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: VTECH HOLDINGS USA/PRIVACY