Social Networking Site Imbee Settles FTC Privacy Complaint

  • February 4, 2008
The Federal Trade Commission has extracted a $130,000 fine from social networking site imbee.com, targeting tweens ages 8 to 14, to settle charges that its data collection practices violated federal law. The site allegedly collected and stored information from children 12 and younger without their parents' consent--which is impermissible under the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

The settlement comes at a time of increasing interest in online data collection. Late last year, Texas attorney general Greg Abbott also accused two Web companies--gaming fan site GamesRadar.com and cartoon doll site TheDollPalace.com--of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

--Wendy Davis

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