FTC fines Microsoft $20 million for collecting data from minors

Microsoft has agreed to pay a $20 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The FTC found that Microsoft collected personal information from children under the age of 13 without parental consent.

As part of the settlement, Microsoft must delete all data collected from children under the age of 13 who have not provided parental consent. The company must also obtain parental consent before collecting data from children under the age of 13.

The FTC's enforcement of COPPA is designed to protect children's privacy and ensure that they are not exploited by companies that collect their personal information without their parent's knowledge or consent. COPPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of children under the age of 13 online.

The law requires companies to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. COPPA also requires companies to protect the privacy of children's personal information once it is collected.The FTC's enforcement of COPPA is a critical part of protecting children's privacy online.

The FTC's actions against Microsoft send a strong message to companies that they must comply with COPPA or face serious consequences.