UK Regulator Launches Probe into Child Safety in Popular Mobile Games

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office has initiated an investigation into the child safety measures of 10 popular mobile games. The probe will assess the games' default privacy settings, location tracking, targeted advertising, and other potential privacy concerns. This move follows significant improvements in children's privacy standards on social media and video-sharing platforms. According to the regulator, 90% of children use digital devices, and 84% of parents are concerned about their children being targeted online. The office also found that 30% of children have stopped playing a mobile game due to data collection concerns, and 75% of parents are worried about the data shared about their children and the ads served to minors. The UK information commissioner stated that mobile games can have intrusive design features, raising questions about their adherence to the regulator's children's code standards. The investigation aims to ensure that mobile games meet the same high data protection standards as other platforms. This development comes after a recent interview with the CEO of Roblox, who was questioned about the company's child safety measures.