Penalty Amount
$25,000
The New Jersey Attorney General settled with Dokogeo, the developer of the Dokobots app, for violating COPPA by collecting personal information from children without parental consent. The settlement requires Dokogeo to disclose its data practices, stop collecting children's data, delete existing children's data, and pay a suspended $25,000 penalty.
Dokogeo must clearly disclose its data collection practices on its apps and websites, refrain from collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, remove all children's photographs and geolocation information, and pay a $25,000 suspended penalty that will be vacated after 10 years if the company complies with all terms.
In-house legal teams should review customer agreements (e.g., terms of service, privacy policies) for clauses on data collection from children, parental consent processes, and disclosures to third parties. Vendor agreements with app stores or data processors must include COPPA compliance warranties and data handling terms. Key clauses to assess are those covering consent for minors, data retention and deletion obligations, and transparency in data practices. Recommended changes include adding explicit COPPA certification, implementing age verification steps, updating privacy notices to clearly articulate data uses, and enforcing data deletion protocols to align with settlement requirements.
Entity
Dokogeo
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.njoag.gov/acting-attorney-general-announces-settlement-resolving-allegations-that-maker-of-aeoedokobotsae%c2%9d-app-violated-childrens-online-privacy-rules/
New Jersey Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-consumer-affairs/
"Dokogeo"
"suspended payout of $25,000"
"federal COPPA Rule"
"does not obtain verifiable parental consent prior to the collection of personal information from children."
$18.0M
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport joined a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general in announcing a settlement with the bankruptcy trustee for 23andMe, resolving allegations from a 2023 data breach that compromised genetic data of 6.9 million people worldwide, including nearly 150,000 in New Jersey. The settlement provides $18 million to states from available bankruptcy funds, plus enhanced data security and consumer deletion rights for the successor entity, 23andMe Research Institute.
$45.0M
Block, Inc. agreed to a $45 million multistate settlement with 46 states for allegedly misleading consumers about the safety of Cash App, failing to protect users from fraud, and not providing promised fraud protection. The settlement requires Block to improve customer support, stop misleading claims, and educate consumers about fraud.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport co-led a coalition of 49 attorneys general in calling on the FCC to strengthen rules to cut off scammers' access to legitimate telephone numbers. The coalition's letter requests stronger certification rules, regular reporting, and prohibitions on number cycling to combat illegal robocalls.
Governor Sherrill and Attorney General Davenport announced coordinated executive actions to reduce and eliminate junk fees in New Jersey. The initiative includes an Executive Order directing state agencies to review industries for junk fees and an Enforcement Statement from the Division of Consumer Affairs explaining how junk fee practices may violate the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
The New Jersey Bureau of Securities announced its 2026 annual investment adviser examination, with a particular focus on firms' use of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity protocols. The examination requires nearly 800 registered investment adviser firms to answer questions about AI use in portfolio management, data protection policies, and third-party vendor due diligence. Failure to comply may result in administrative action.
The New Jersey Bureau of Securities filed a lawsuit against Xiao Hu (aka Mark Hu) and his companies Skyline Technology USA LLC and Thunderbirds.ME, Inc. for allegedly defrauding at least 15 investors out of $2.5 million through unregistered securities offerings. Hu allegedly misappropriated at least $280,000 for personal expenses including a home purchase and vacation, and falsely claimed to have a Ph.D. from Columbia University.