Skip to main content

Fortnite’s Epic Games to pay $520 million over children’s privacy violations

The Federal Trade Commission announced that it will fine Fortnite developer Epic Games $520 million over violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

In a press release, FTC Chair Lina M. Khan states that “Epic used privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children.” The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a federal court order forcing Epic Games to pay $275 million for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act as well as an additional $245 million in refunds to customers.

Cropped key art for the Fortnite Chapter finale event, Fracture.
Epic Games

Epic Games will also update Fortnite to require that voice and text communications are off by default for children and teens playing the game. U.S. Attorney General Vanita Gupta even commented as part of this announcement, stating that “this proposed order sends a message to all online providers that collecting children’s personal information without parental consent will not be tolerated.” 

The FTC has gotten much stricter in regard to the video game industry recently. Earlier this month, the FTC made game industry headlines when it announced it’s filing a lawsuit with Microsoft over its impending acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Although the video game industry has remained somewhat unscathed from government scrutiny for some time, that may be starting to change. The press release announcing this settlement boasts that this is “FTC’s largest refund amount in a gaming case, and its largest administrative order in history.”

Still, even this settlement is really just a drop in the bucket for Epic Games, which has a valuation of about $31.5 billion as of April 2022.

Editors' Recommendations

Tomas Franzese
Gaming Staff Writer
Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
How to survive storm phases carrying an Epic weapon in Fortnite
Character jumping while holding Epic weapon in Fortnite.

A new Fortnite challenge for surviving storm phases while carrying an Epic weapon has caused some confusion, as the quest's wording isn't exactly clear. Thankfully, the challenge is much easier than it seems, and once you know what to do, you can get through it relatively quickly. Here's how to survive storm phases while carrying an Epic weapon in Fortnite.
What is an Epic weapon?
Fortnite uses a rarity system with its weapons, which are denoted by colors. Purple weapons are Epic, but keep in mind you can utilize any weapon of higher rarity to complete this quest. As long as the weapon is at least Epic, you'll earn credit for surviving storm phases.
How to get an Epic weapon

There are several ways to get Epic weapons. One way is to simply find one from chests or as floor loot, but this isn't as reliable. You can also purchase Epic weapons from NPCs around the map. Nearly all main hubs have an NPC who sells weapons, so be sure to talk with them if you have the funds. Using an Upgrade Station is another solid option for collecting an Epic weapon, though it's expensive. Another option is to defeat the Highcard Boss found at Brutal Bastion, Shattered Slabs, and Mega City. Upon defeat, the Highcard Boss drops a Mythic Havoc Suppressed Rifle.
How to survive storm phases while carrying an Epic weapon

Read more
How to give specialist a command in Fortnite
Character interacting with NPC in Fortnite.

As part of Fortnite's Spring Breakout Daily Quests, players are tasked with giving a hired specialist character a command. Of course, the game doesn't specify how to do this exactly, leading to some confusion amongst the community. Thankfully, we've got everything you need to know about completing this new quest with ease in Fortnite.
How to hire a specialist

Specialist Characters are specific NPCs all around the map. If you pull up the quest itself, you'll actually see a map of all the Specialist Characters. Keep in mind that not all NPCs fall into this category, so be sure to look at the map. We like the one to the very north of Breakwater Bay as it's usually out of the way. Once you find them, you'll need to pay 200 Gold Bars to hire them. If you don't have the funds, be sure to play more and complete bounties as needed.
How to give a character a command
After you've hired the Specialist Character, they'll be on your side for the duration of the match. If you look at the top left side of the screen, you'll see an icon that represents the Follower Communications wheel. Press and hold left on the D-pad on console or the middle mouse button on PC to get this menu to appear. Once it does, you can pick from a list of commands such as wait or follow. To complete the quest, you simply need to issue one command and after the NPC does what you ask, you'll earn credit for completing it.

Read more
The best weapons in Fortnite during Chapter 3, Season 4
New characters from Fortnite Chapter 4, Season 2.

Surviving in Fortnite and securing a Victory Royale takes skill and luck. Getting better at Fortnite requires a knowledge of the playing field and a drive to outlast your opponents, but none of that matters if you aren't picking up the right weapons. Building a loadout that suits your playstyle and managing your inventory as the match progresses is key to snagging a win. You don't want to be caught in a long-range battle against someone on a mountaintop without a solid rifle on hand, and you certainly don't want to find yourself inside a close-quarters building without an SMG or shotgun.

Our guide to the best weapons in Fortnite breaks down rarity types and what they mean, the most effective arms in each weapon category, and tips for how to use them. Chapter 4, Season 2 brought a lengthy list of changes to the Fortnite arsenal -- including new weapons and the return of some fan favorites.

Read more