The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US consumer protection authority, put the brakes on Meta, which lowered the age of use to extend the variety of users of the Metaverse service.

Reuters and other foreign media reported on the 4th (local time) that the FTC ordered Meta to alter its privacy policy to ban getting cash with minors’ data.

The FTC’s order to amend the terms and conditions got here after Meta recently lowered the age of use of the Horizon World virtual reality (VR) app, a metaverse service, in order that teenagers could use it. It is claimed to amend the terms and conditions to stop getting cash based on data collected from users under the age of 18, including in virtual reality businesses.

The FTC’s order applies to all of Meta’s products, and if Meta doesn’t accept it inside 30 days, fines may be initiated. The FTC previously imposed a record $5 billion effective on Meta in 2019 for privacy violations.

“Facebook has repeatedly violated its privacy guarantees,” FTC Consumer Protection Commissioner Samuel Levine said in an announcement.

Meta said it was “political” and would respond strongly. “Meta has built a number one privacy program in accordance with FTC rules,” said Christopher Sgro, spokeswoman for Meta.

Jeong Byeong-il, member jbi@aitimes.com