The FTC finalized a settlement with Miniclip, S.A. for falsely claiming it was a member of the CARU COPPA safe harbor program. Miniclip is prohibited from misrepresenting its participation in privacy programs and subject to compliance and recordkeeping requirements.
Miniclip is prohibited from misrepresenting its participation or certification in any privacy or security program sponsored by a government or self-regulatory organization, including the CARU COPPA safe harbor program, and is subject to compliance and recordkeeping requirements.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor, customer, and data processing agreements where the other party makes representations about privacy certifications or safe harbor program participation, particularly those involving children's data or COPPA-covered services. Focus on representations and warranties clauses, compliance certification sections, and any audit or verification rights. Specific changes may include: adding requirements for parties to provide current, verifiable proof of any claimed certifications (e.g., CARU COPPA safe harbor membership letters or certificates); incorporating clauses that prohibit misrepresentations about participation in any government or self-regulatory privacy program; and ensuring contracts grant the right to audit or request documentation supporting such certifications. For agreements with Miniclip or similar entities, verify that any stated COPPA safe harbor status is accurate and current, and consider adding indemnification provisions for misrepresentation-related liabilities.
Entity
Miniclip, S.A.
Also known as: Miniclip
Industry
Gaming"Miniclip, S.A."
"Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)"
"FTC’s COPPA Rule"
"falsely claimed from 2015 through mid-2019 that it was a member of the Children’s Advertising Review Unit’s (CARU) COPPA safe harbor program even though Miniclip’s membership had been terminated in 2015."
$750K
The FTC finalized an order against Vanilla Chip LLC (doing business as TruHeight) and its principals for deceptively advertising height-enhancing supplements for children and teens without scientific evidence. The company also used fake reviews and incentivized 5-star ratings. The order requires a $750,000 payment and prohibits false health claims and deceptive review practices.
$2.3M
The FTC alleged that RentGrow, a tenant screening company, violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by failing to use reasonable procedures to ensure the accuracy of its reports, including by reporting duplicate records and failing to disclose data sources. RentGrow agreed to pay a $2.25 million penalty and is prohibited from further FCRA violations and from misrepresenting dispute outcomes.
The FTC and New York Attorney General took action against Handy Technologies for deceptive earnings claims and failure to disclose fees and fines that led to millions of dollars being withheld from workers' wages. The FTC is sending over $2.7 million in refunds to 62,893 affected consumers.
$35.0M
The FTC alleged that Hopper, a travel booking app, charged consumers hidden and pre-selected fees (Tip and VIP Support) without their consent, misrepresented the benefits of VIP Support and Price Freeze services, and failed to clearly disclose total prices. Hopper agreed to pay $35 million for consumer redress and is prohibited from misrepresenting fees under a proposed order.
$1.5M
The FTC finalized a settlement with Publishing.com LLC and its principals for misleading consumers about potential earnings from self-publishing products. The company will pay $1.5 million and is prohibited from making unsubstantiated earnings claims, failing to disclose refund terms, and misrepresenting endorsements and reviews.
The FTC is seeking public comment on a proposed policy statement addressing concerns that AI companies may be manipulating AI system outputs contrary to consumer expectations for objectivity and accuracy. The statement explains that such conduct could be considered deceptive under Section 5 of the FTC Act. The public comment period runs until July 31, 2026.