14 DAY TRIAL // The Walt Disney Company is the target of a class action lawsuit claiming the company is tracking children via apps installed on iOS and Android devices, collecting a series of details without the permission of their parents.
Parent Amanda Rushing and her daughter referred to as “L. L.” claim apps that are published in the two stores on Android and iOS could track users and collect personal information, including personal identifiers, with Disney then disclosing and sharing the data with other third parties.
The suit claims that not only Disney, but also a series of other partners, including mobile analytics and marketing company Upsight, game developer Unity Technologies, and mobile analytics firm Kochava, violated the FTC’s Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which states that parents must give their permission before information is collected by apps aimed at kids.
Disney: See you in court
Rushing explains that one of the apps that violated the regulations is Disney Princess Palace Pets, which was installed by her daughter before the age of 13. Other games like Disney Princess: Charmed Adventures, Club Penguin Island, and Disney Emoji Blitz, are also running on a SDK that allows the companies to collect information without parental consent.
The lawsuit explains that neither Disney nor its partners included disclosures or prompts to let parents known about the data collection, with Rushing describing the tracking as “highly offensive and an invasion of privacy.”
Disney, on the other hand, does not agree with the claims, and says that it’s ready to fight the claims in court, indicating that no settlement is on the table for the time being.
“Disney has a robust COPPA compliance program, and we maintain strict data collection and use policies for Disney apps created for children and families. The complaint is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of COPPA principles, and we look forward to defending this action in Court,” Disney has been quoted as saying.