Florida files landmark lawsuit accusing Roku of exploiting kids’ personal information
Florida – Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that his Office of Parental Rights has filed a civil enforcement action against Roku, Inc. and its Florida subsidiary for breaking the Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBOR) and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA).
Uthmeier stressed in the announcement that the state is dedicated to making sure that parents, not tech companies, decide how their children’s personal information is utilized.
“Florida families deserve to know what is happening with their children’s personal information,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Parents—not technology companies—direct the upbringing of their children. We will hold any company that conceals or exploits that information accountable.”
Roku is one of the best places in the country to watch streaming video. It has dozens of apps that let you watch movies, TV shows, live news, and sports. The platform works like a smartphone interface for TVs, and by 2024, it was believed to have reached 145 million people in the US.
The complaint says that Roku acquired and sold private information about users, including children, without getting permission or letting families know. The lawsuit accuses the company of gathering viewing histories, voice recordings, and other forms of personal information, then enabling the reidentification of users in ways that violated state privacy laws. Officials also said that Roku didn’t have verified parental authorization before processing or selling children’s data, and that it lied about how reliable its privacy settings and opt-out options were.
Read also: DeSantis reveals bold plan to transform Florida travel and eliminate traffic problems
The Florida Digital Bill of Rights, which was passed to protect consumer data better, says that corporations must have unambiguous parental permission before handling sensitive data about kids. It also requires clear communication about how data is gathered, used, and shared with other people.
The Attorney General’s Office is trying to get Roku to follow Florida’s privacy laws by getting civil penalties, court-ordered changes, and protections in place. These steps include using legal parental controls, giving correct information, and stopping the collection or sale of data about kids without permission.
Read also: Florida drags California to court over sanctuary policies that ‘put us all at risk!’
The case is part of Florida’s larger effort to protect parental rights in the digital era and hold the tech industry accountable. The complaint has been filed at the 20th Judicial Circuit in Florida.
