Yesterday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that they have filed a lawsuit against Roku, Inc., accusing the popular television streaming platform of violating federal and state privacy laws by illegally collecting and sharing children’s personal information. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that Roku’s practices breach the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, putting the privacy of millions of children at risk.
Roku, used by nearly half of American broadband households, including millions in Michigan, provides streaming services, ad-supported programming, and live television to viewers of all ages. Unlike competitors such as Netflix or Amazon, Roku does not offer parents the option to create dedicated children’s profiles, subjecting children to the same invasive data collection practices as adults. The lawsuit claims Roku systematically gathers sensitive information from children, including their locations, voice recordings, IP addresses, and persistent identifiers that track their online activities both on Roku’s platform and across the internet. These data points are explicitly protected under COPPA, which sets strict rules for handling children’s personal information.
According to the complaint, Roku not only collects this data but also allows third-party channels and partners, including web trackers and data brokers, to access it. Some of these partners have faced legal action from the Federal Trade Commission for unauthorized location tracking. The lawsuit further alleges that Roku misleads parents about its data collection practices and their rights to safeguard their children’s information, violating COPPA’s requirement for clear notice and parental consent. Notably, the suit highlights Roku’s disregard for COPPA’s limits on collecting children’s voice data, a particularly sensitive category of personal information.
“Roku has blatantly violated children’s privacy laws, illegally exposing kids across Michigan to invasive data collection practices,” Nessel said. “We cannot allow companies to jeopardize the security of our children’s personal information. My office remains committed to holding accountable companies that violate the rights of Michigan families and seek to profit at the expense of children’s safety and privacy.”
The lawsuit seeks to halt Roku’s alleged illegal data practices, compel compliance with federal and state laws, and secure damages, restitution, and civil penalties for years of misconduct. The case underscores growing concerns about digital privacy, particularly for children, as streaming platforms become central to household entertainment.
A Roku spokesperson told Cord Cutters News:
“Roku strongly disagrees with the allegations in today’s filing, which do not reflect how our services work or our efforts to protect viewer privacy. We plan to challenge these inaccurate claims and look forward to demonstrating our commitment to trust and compliance.
“Roku respects and values the privacy of our users. We do not use or disclose children’s personal information for targeted advertising or any other purpose prohibited by law, nor do we partner with third-party web trackers or data brokers to sell children’s personal information.
“We take the responsibility of creating a safe and trusted online environment seriously. Our viewers rely on Roku for engaging content, and we take pride in connecting our viewers to the streaming content they love every day.”
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