Music Industry News from Moshable.com
Sony Music Allegedly Illegally Collected Data On Children
The FTC says the operator of more than 1,100 music-related websites accumulated personal information on more than 30,000 users under age 13 without informing their parents.
Bloomberg News December 11, 2008
Sony BMG Music Entertainment was sued by the U.S. on Wednesday for
collecting and disclosing personal data about 30,000 children without
informing their parents.
The Federal Trade Commission filed the
civil lawsuit in federal court. The suit, which alleges violations of
the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, seeks unspecified damages
and an injunction.
"Sony Music collected, used and/or disclosed personal information from children without first providing their parents with notice of its information practices," according to the
complaint.
The FTC alleges that Sony Music, a Sony Corp. unit
that operates more than 1,100 music-related websites, collected
information from more than 30,000 children under age 13 since 2004,
despite contending that visitors that young wouldn't be allowed to
register on the sites.
"Sony Music did not take steps required
by the rule to provide parents with direct notice of its information
prior to collecting, using or disclosing their children's personal
information," the complaint says.
Sony did not immediately comment.
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