FTC says anonymous messaging app failed to stop ‘rampant cyberbullying’
Anonymous messaging app NGL will no longer be offered to kids under 18 after the company struck an agreement to settle a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
The novel settlement terms — which are still subject to approval by a judge — indicate the latest effort by the FTC to crack down on companies that violate kids’ privacy or otherwise harm them. The commission has issued several complaints involving the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), including against Fortnite-maker Epic Games, Microsoft’s Xbox, and a weight loss app from Weight Watchers marketed to kids. But banning a company from offering their app to kids sets this settlement apart.
NGL is an app where users can...