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ARTICLE · 30 SEPTEMBER 2025

Minor Coordinates, Major Concerns: FTC Case Signals Collecting Location Data Isn't Child's Play

On September 2, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint and proposed order against toy manufacturer Apitor Technology Co., Ltd.

United StatesPrivacy

On September 2, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint and proposed order against toy manufacturer Apitor Technology Co., Ltd. (Apitor), alleging that the company violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule by allowing a third-party software development kit (SDK) to collect children's precise geolocation data without parental consent.

This enforcement action is a reminder that COPPA requires verifiable parental consent when a company that directs its services to children collects, uses, or discloses children's personal information—even if a third party is collecting the data on the company's behalf.

Complaint

Apitor develops and markets robot toys intended for children ages 6 to 14. These robot toys require children to download an app, Apitor Kit, that is used to control the movements of the robots, and online marketing for Apitor's toy robots encourages customers to download the app. Apitor integrated an SDK into

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