TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The Office of Parental Rights will file a civil enforcement action against Roku Inc. and its Florida subsidiary, Attorney General James Usmayer announced.
The civil enforcement suit alleges that Roku Inc. and its Florida subsidiary violated the Florida Digital Bill of Rights and the Florida Deception and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
“Florida families have a right to know what is happening to their children’s personal information,” said Attorney General James Usmayer. “Parents, not technology companies, direct the upbringing of their children, and we will hold companies accountable that hide or misuse that information.”
Roku is the leader in the U.S. streaming video distribution market, with 145 million users by 2024, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
The complaint alleges that Roku collected and sold sensitive personal data, including children’s viewing habits, audio recordings and other information, and enabled their re-identification, without permission or meaningful notification to Florida families, Usmeyer said.
The state alleges Roque’s actions violate Florida’s privacy and consumer protection laws.
The AG said Roku failed to obtain parental consent before selling or processing children’s data and misrepresented the effectiveness of its privacy controls and opt-out tools.
The Florida Digital Bill of Rights was approved to give consumers more control over their personal information and requires businesses to obtain explicit consent before selling or using sensitive data and to provide notice about how personal information will be collected and shared.
“Through this lawsuit, the Attorney General seeks civil penalties, injunctive relief, and measures to ensure that Roku provides transparent disclosure, implements lawful parental control mechanisms, and ceases the unauthorized sale or processing of children’s data,” the Attorney General’s office said.
