Epic Finalizes $245M Settlement Over FTC Privacy Claims

Epic Games will pay $245 million to settle allegations the company used "dark patterns" to trick players into making "unwanted purchases and let children rack up unauthorized charges" without parental consent, the FTC announced Tuesday in a finalized settlement (see 2212190064). The commission voted 4-0 to approve the complaint and order against Epic. In a separate settlement, also originally announced in December, Epic agreed to pay $275 million to settle allegations it violated the FTC's Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule, bringing the total volume of penalties to $520 million. Tuesday, Epic referenced its previous statement from December, saying, "There are no new details here, and nothing in the settlement has changed."