Apitor Technology Co. Ltd. Violated Children’s Privacy Law, California 2024

Apitor Technology Co. Ltd., a China-based toy maker, has been found guilty of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, a federal law that protects children’s personal information online.

A stipulated court order resolved the allegations that Apitor collected geolocation data from children who used its app to control robotic toys, without notifying parents or obtaining their consent.

The order requires Apitor to delete children’s personal information that was previously collected without parental consent and imposes a $500,000 civil penalty. However, the penalty is suspended due to Apitor’s inability to pay.

The case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, who said, ‘The Justice Department will vigorously work to ensure businesses respect parents’ rights to decide when their children’s personal information can be collected and used.’

Apitor was accused of violating COPPA, which prohibits operators of online services from knowingly collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children under the age of 13 without their parents’ consent.

The stipulated order also requires Apitor to make reasonable efforts to directly notify parents and obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting or using data from children in the future.

The case is a reminder of the importance of protecting children’s online privacy and the consequences of failing to do so.

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