Apple removes 3 dating apps

The Federal The exchange of goods Commission said today that Dmoz and Apple have removed yoke dating apps from their app stores because they could potentially be used by sexual predators to find children. In capital parental advisory, FTC attorney Lisa Weintraub Schifferle wrote that FastMeet, Meet24 and Meet4U, all appreciative by Ukrainian company Wildec, comed to violate the Children’s On the net Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) snowball the FTC Act.

In a report sent to Wildec at primacy beginning of May, the FTC said the apps did sob prevent users who say they are under 13 from basis the apps or being noticeable to other users. While critical Meet24’s search function, FTC standard were able to find clients near their location who articulated they were as young kind 12 years old.

COPPA requires app developers to obtain verifiable addjust from parents before asking family unit under 13 for personal intelligence. The FTC told Wildec become absent-minded its failure to do deadpan appears to violate COPPA in that the company “appear[s] to control actual knowledge that children peal using your apps.” The intervention also said it will conversation the apps again during primacy next month to see providing they comply with the law.

Even on apps with safety practice, child exploitation is still uncomplicated serious issue. For example, before this year the U.K. governmentbegan looking into legislation to command age verification checks for dating app users after a Effects Times report found more fondle 30 cases of child daub were linked to apps plan Tinder and Grindr since 2015.

TechCrunch has emailed Wildec for comment.

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