Fortnite Will Pay Out Over Half A Billion Dollars In Fines And Refunds For "Deceptive Interfaces" And "Wrongful Charges"
The fees break down into 2 lumps: a $275 million fine and $245 million in refunds.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Epic Games have reached an agreement over accusations that the company may not have acted in the best interest of privacy when it comes to the personal information of children and used "dark patterns to trick users into making purchases" in Fortnite.
First up, a $275 million fine (largest of its kind) for violations of COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act). The FTC accused Epic Games of not only collecting the personal information of children without parental consent, but also used "privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children."
This accusation is likely a big reason Fortnite recently announced their new "Cabined Accounts" system when it comes to minor Fortnite players.
The second part of the settlement involves not a fine, but direct refunds to customers. The FTC accused Epic Games of "dark patterns" in their billing. These practices included deceptive menus and confirmation buttons in places easy to click by accident, charges without authorization or parental involvement, and locking of purchased items if a customer dared to challenge a charge. The agreement requires Epic to refund users who make a claim and to remove these practices from future processing, including a stop to Epic blocking accounts in dispute over charges.
The FTC alleges that Epic ignored millions of complaints and internal flags raised over billing procedures.
Just north of the border here in the US, Epic will face another court case in Canada that was just recently approved to move forward by a Canadian judge. This suit brings forth accusations that Fortnite is created to be as addicting as possible and that children are harmed by that design practice.
Related Articles
About the Author

Mike “Magicman” Byrne has been a part of the MMOBomb family for years and serves as the site’s current Editor-in-Chief. His love for MMOs and gaming in general has led him to covering games for numerous websites including Gamebreaker TV and XIV Nation where he proudly displays his fanboy flag for FFXIV:ARR.
Read Next
President And COO Of Activision Blizzard Leaving To Head Up NFT Firm Yuga Labs
That's the company that does the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs.
By Michael Byrne - 1 month agoYou May Enjoy
MMORPG "The Quinfall" Is Promising A Lot Including "Adapting Real Life Into A 'Meta' World"
That isn't the only claim the new company behind the title is boasting though...
By QuintLyn Bowers - 1 day agoBlizzard’s Bringing The Original Overwatch’s Credits Currency Back To Overwatch 2 In Season 3
Players will be able to purchase epic and legendary-tier skins with them.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 13 hours agoStar Trek Online Ushers In A Brand-New Update (And Anniversary!) "Refractions"
The long-running MMORPG title celebrates its 13th year anniversary next month.
By Aspen Pash - 1 week agoLeague Of Legends Source Code Stolen During Cyber Attack Last Week; Riot Receives Ransom Email
"Today, we received a ransom email. Needless to say, we won't pay."
By Anthony Jones - 1 week agoEmbers Adrift Free Play Weekend Is Under Way, Guides Up For Some "Starter" Help
Play for free through Sunday using your existing account.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 4 days agoRUMOR: Insider Believes Rumbleverse Will Reportedly Shut Down At The End Of February
Take a hefty grain of salt with this one.
By Anthony Jones - 1 day ago
Discussion (0)