Contact:
David Monahan, Fairplay ([email protected])
Jeff Chester, Center for Digital Democracy ([email protected]; 202-494-7100)
Advocates called for investigation of Amazon’s Echo Dot Kids Edition, Federal Regulators Now Poised to Act
Politico reporting indicates FTC plans to advance case against Amazon for violation of kids’ privacy after advocates’ 2019 complaint
BOSTON, MA and WASHINGTON, DC — Friday, March 31, 2023 — Following a groundbreaking investigation of Amazon’s Echo Dot Kids by Fairplay and Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), the Federal Trade Commission is preparing to advance a case against Amazon for the company’s violations of children’s privacy law to the Department of Justice. According to new reporting from Politico, the case centers on Amazon’s violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) through its Alexa voice assistant.
In 2019, privacy advocates Fairplay and CDD called for the FTC to take action against Amazon after an investigation of the company’s Echo Dot Kids smart home assistant, a candy-colored version of Amazon’s flagship home assistant with Alexa voice technology. The investigation revealed a number of shocking illegal privacy violations, including Amazon’s indefinite retention of kids’ sensitive data even after parents requested for it to be deleted. Now, reports indicate that the FTC is acting on the advocates’ calls for investigation.
“We’re thrilled that the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice are close to taking action against Amazon for its egregious violations of children’s privacy,” said Josh Golin, Executive Director of Fairplay. “We know it’s not just social media platforms and apps that misuse children’s sensitive data. This landmark case would be the first time the FTC sanctioned the maker of a voice-enabled device for flouting COPPA. Amazon and its Big Tech peers must learn that COPPA violations are not just a cost of doing business.”
“It is time for the FTC to address the rampant commercial surveillance of children via Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as Amazon’s Echo, and enforce existing law,” said Katharina Kopp, Director of Policy at Center for Digital Democracy. “Children are giving away sensitive personal data on a massive scale via IoT devices, including their voice recordings and data gleaned from kids’ viewing, reading, listening, and purchasing habits. These data practices lead to violating children’s privacy, to manipulating them into being interested in harmful products, undermining their autonomy, and to perpetuating discrimination and bias. Both the FTC and the Department of Justice must hold Amazon accountable.”
The advocates’ 2019 complaint points out that Amazon’s Echo Dot Kids Edition likely violates COPPA in at least three ways: by not meeting COPPA’s notice standard, by failing to meet the Act’s parental consent requirements, and by not allowing parents to delete their children’s private information. It appears also that Amazon violated COPPA’s security provision, to “establish and maintain reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personal information collected from children.”
Reports of the FTC action come just months after President Biden called on Congress to shield children and teens from Big Tech’s rampant data collection and bad business practices in his State of the Union address.
“Children and teens’ online privacy should be protected by default wherever they are on the internet,” added Golin. “The FTC has stepped up to ensure that companies won’t get off scot-free when they violate the privacy of children under 13. Now, we need Congress to heed President Biden’s call and act to expand those protections to every child under 18.”
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