Maker of Fortnite , Agrees to Pay Record-Breaking , $520 Settlement .<br />'The Guardian' reports that video game developer <br />Epic Games will pay out $520 million in penalties and <br />refunds to settle complaints about privacy and deception.<br />'The Guardian' reports that video game developer <br />Epic Games will pay out $520 million in penalties and <br />refunds to settle complaints about privacy and deception.<br />According to federal regulators on December 19, <br />the record-breaking settlements will end two cases <br />against the maker of the popular game Fortnite.<br />According to federal regulators on December 19, <br />the record-breaking settlements will end two cases <br />against the maker of the popular game Fortnite.<br />Epic used privacy-invasive default <br />settings and deceptive interfaces that <br />tricked Fortnite users, including <br />teenagers and children, Lina Khan, FTC chair, via NBC.<br />According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), , Epic Games collected personal information <br />from players under 13 without informing <br />parents or receiving their consent.<br />According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), , Epic Games collected personal information <br />from players under 13 without informing <br />parents or receiving their consent.<br />The $275 million fine the company agreed<br />to pay to settle this charge was the biggest <br />penalty ever issued for violating an FTC rule.<br />The $275 million fine the company agreed<br />to pay to settle this charge was the biggest <br />penalty ever issued for violating an FTC rule.<br />In addition to this fine, Epic Games will also<br />refund $254 million to customers who fell <br />victim to "dark patterns" and billing practices.<br />According to 'The Guardian,' , dark patterns , are deceptive online techniques <br />used to manipulate users.<br />Fortnite’s counterintuitive, inconsistent, <br />and confusing button configuration led <br />players to incur unwanted charges <br />based on the press of a single button, FTC statement, via NBC.<br />Fortnite’s counterintuitive, inconsistent, <br />and confusing button configuration led <br />players to incur unwanted charges <br />based on the press of a single button, FTC statement, via NBC.<br />These tactics led to <br />hundreds of millions of dollars<br />in unauthorized charges <br />for consumers, FTC statement, via NBC.<br />According to Epic Games, the refunds were <br />being issued to resolve concerns over, “past designs of the Fortnite <br />item shop and refund systems.”
