Meta Will Fight FTC For Prohibition Of Determination Of Children's Data Under 18 Years Old

JAKARTA - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will propose a proposal to completely ban Meta from monetizing children's data from the Messenger Kids platform on Facebook.

Meta is claimed to mislead parents about their ability to control with whom children communicate through the Messenger Kids app, and misinterpret access. It also gives some app developers to personal user data.

According to the assessment found by the FTC, they identified several loopholes and weaknesses in Facebook's privacy program, and are claimed to pose a great risk to the public.

Among those gaps is a problem with security control on Messenger Kids products, which children in some cases say can communicate with unapproved contacts in group text chats and group video calls.

The FTC statement implies Meta violated FTC orders in 2020 when it came into effect and soon thereafter.

The FTC says this not only violates its agreement with Meta but also the Child Online Privacy Protection Act, better known as COPPA.

Facebook has repeatedly violated its privacy promises. The company's carelessness has endangered young users, and Facebook needs to answer its failures," said FTC Consumer Protection Bureau Director Samuel Levine.

The restrictions will prohibit Meta from taking advantage of data collected from users under the age of 18.

The company will also be barred from releasing new or modified products, services, features without written confirmation of its privacy program appraisers in full accordance with orders requirements and no material gaps or weaknesses.

Other expanded limits, including in the use of facial recognition technology and are required to provide additional protection for users.

Meta will be asked to ensure compliance with FTC orders for any acquired or merged companies, and to respect the company's previous privacy commitments.

This step is the third act the United States (US) agency has taken against the company for allegedly violating user privacy.

A Meta spokesperson said the move was a political action and the company was not given the opportunity to respond to the allegations.

"Let's be clear about what the FTC is trying to do, seize Congressional authorities to set industry standards broadly and instead choose an American company while allowing Chinese companies, such as TikTok, to operate without problems on American soil," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement quoted by NBC News, Thursday, May 4.

"The insistence of FTC Chairman Lina Khan to use any action, however baseless to hostile to American businesses has reached new lows. We have spent a lot of resources building and implementing industry-leading privacy programs under the terms of our FTC agreement," he added.

The Meta spokesperson stressed that he would fight with great enthusiasm for the move and hoped to win. It should be noted that for now the FTC's move is still in the form of a proposal, not an order.

Because they have to give Meta the opportunity to respond before making a final decision. The FTC proposal will apply to all Meta services, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and Horizon Worlds.