Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Oculus, has come under fire as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposes new restrictions on the company’s handling of data from minors, according to a report from The Hill.
The FTC accuses Meta of violating children’s online privacy rules, the FTC Act, and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by misrepresenting the features of its Messenger Kids app between 2017 and 2019.
The FTC contends that Meta had claimed children could only communicate with parent-approved contacts on the app.
However, the agency alleges that there were instances where children were able to engage with unapproved contacts in group text chats and group video calls.
FTC’s bureau of consumer protection director Samuel Levine stated, “Facebook has repeatedly violated its privacy promises. The company’s recklessness has put young users at risk, and Facebook needs to answer for its failures.”
The alleged violations were discovered through FTC’s own assessments and an independent assessor’s evaluation of Meta’s compliance with a 2020 FTC order.
This order required Meta to pay $5 billion and expand its privacy program, The Hill notes.
The FTC has also proposed updates to the 2020 order that would impose further restrictions on Meta.
Among these restrictions is a ban on monetizing the data of children and teenagers under 18.
The updated order would also prevent Meta from collecting data on minors, except for security purposes, and prohibit the company from using such data for commercial purposes, even after users turn 18.
Additionally, the updated order would mandate Meta to obtain written confirmation from the assessor that its privacy program is fully compliant with the order’s requirements before launching any new products or services.
The proposed updates also call for Meta to gain users’ affirmative consent for any future use of facial recognition technology, a crucial aspect as the company expands further into the VR market.
The FTC approved these proposed updates with a 3-0 vote, with the board currently comprised of three Democrats, following the departure of both Republicans and leaving two vacant seats.
The FTC has asked Meta to respond to the agencies’ investigations within 30 days, according to The Hill.