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Fortnite became an instant among millions of teenagers and children five years ago when it was launched. It was easy to sign up and chat with strangers while playing.
Many children bought digital items like colourful outfits for their game characters, and many parents had to pay up hundreds of dollars on their credit cards.
Many children bought digital items like colourful outfits for their game characters, and many parents had to pay up hundreds of dollars on their credit cards.
With more than 400 million users, Fortnite became a billion-dollar blockbuster for Epic Games.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused Epic Games of illegally collecting personal information from children and ruining the experience for Fortnite players.
To settle regulators' accusations that it collected personal information without parental consent from children younger than 13 who played Fortnite, the company paid $275 million in fines.
That's not all! Epic's deceptive design which made it extremely easy for children to purchase in-game items with a single click or button press without parental approval, has also raised the red flag. They have pay $245 million as fine for it as well.
"Even when Epic obtained actual knowledge that particular Fortnite players were under 13, Epic took no steps to comply with (US law)," the FTC complaint alleged.
FTC accused Epic of setting online chat defaults that allowed children and teens to play with strangers and subjected them to potential harassment.
"Children and teens have been bullied, threatened, harassed, and exposed to dangerous and psychologically traumatizing issues such as suicide while on Fortnite"
According to Epic Games, it has implemented multiple safeguards to protect children's privacy and purchasing over the years, and that the FTC's complaints do not reflect its policies.