Hey there, fellow parental units! Ever wonder what happens when Mickey Mouse steps on the wrong side of the law? Well, Disney just got slapped with a whopping $10 million fine for not playing by the rules when it comes to protecting kids’ privacy online. Let’s dive into this animated tale of caution—and how you can keep your little ones’ data from being the next big target!
The $10 Million Mickey Mistake
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) is like the superhero of children’s online privacy. It gives parents the power to control what information websites and apps can collect from their kids under 13. Before gathering any personal info from your child, these sites have to ask for your permission. Simple, right? Apparently, this slipped past Disney’s radar, and they ended up with a $10 million fine for letting YouTube collect personal info from kids watching Disney videos without parental thumbs up. Yikes!
Why It Matters
It turns out, Disney didn’t mark some of their YouTube videos as “kid-directed.” This little oversight allowed YouTube to scoop up kids’ data and unleash targeted ads like a genie out of a bottle. Double yikes! Plus, autoplay could have whisked young viewers away to content meant for older audiences. Not quite the magical experience parents had in mind!
What You Can Do
Now, you might be thinking, “What can I do to make sure my kid’s info doesn’t end up in the wrong digital hands?” Fear not, dear reader. Here are some savvy tips to keep your child’s online presence secure:
Privacy Policy Peek: Before your child dives into a new website or app, skim through their privacy policy. It should tell you exactly how they plan to use your kid’s data. If they’re covered by the COPPA Rule, they need your consent to collect any personal info.
Consent Control: Giving consent doesn’t mean handing over the keys to the kingdom. You can say yes to data collection but no to sharing it with others. Your call!
Double-Check Data: If you’ve granted consent, you can still peek at the data collected from your child, yank your consent back, and demand that the info be deleted. You’re the boss!
Extra Help and Reporting Shenanigans
For more tips on keeping your child safe online, swing by the FTC’s Protecting Kids Online page. And if you suspect a website or app is misbehaving with your kid’s info, you can report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Be the superhero your child needs!
Stay vigilant, stay informed, and keep those tiny online footprints safe. Until next time, may your mouse ears stay un-chewed and your data protected!
For more details, check out the original article here: FTC Consumer Protection Article
Original article: https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/09/disney-settles-charges-it-violated-childrens-online-privacy-protection-law