FTC sues Sendit for illegal collection of children's data and deceptive practices
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Iconic Hearts Holdings Inc., the operator of the Sendit app, and its CEO, Hunter Rice, for allegedly collecting personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. The lawsuit also alleges deceptive practices related to the app's subscription services. Sendit is a social media companion app popular among teenagers, with over 25 million users. The FTC's investigation found that Sendit collected personal data from 116,000 users under the age of 13 in 2022, violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The app also deceived users by generating fake anonymous messages and misrepresenting the benefits of its premium Diamond Membership. The FTC alleges that these practices violate the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA). The lawsuit seeks to address these alleged violations and protect consumers, particularly minors.
Timeline
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30.09.2025 22:57 1 articles · 4h ago
FTC files lawsuit against Sendit for illegal data collection and deceptive practices
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Iconic Hearts Holdings Inc., the operator of the Sendit app, and its CEO, Hunter Rice, for allegedly collecting personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. The lawsuit also alleges deceptive practices related to the app's subscription services. The FTC's investigation found that Sendit collected personal data from 116,000 users under the age of 13 in 2022, violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The app also deceived users by generating fake anonymous messages and misrepresenting the benefits of its premium Diamond Membership. The FTC alleges that these practices violate the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA). The lawsuit seeks to address these alleged violations and protect consumers, particularly minors.
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- Sendit sued by the FTC for illegal collection of children data — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 30.09.2025 22:57
Information Snippets
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Sendit is a social media companion app popular among teenagers, with over 25 million users.
First reported: 30.09.2025 22:571 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Sendit sued by the FTC for illegal collection of children data — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 30.09.2025 22:57
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The FTC alleges that Sendit collected personal data from 116,000 users under the age of 13 in 2022, violating COPPA.
First reported: 30.09.2025 22:571 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Sendit sued by the FTC for illegal collection of children data — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 30.09.2025 22:57
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Sendit deceived users by generating fake anonymous messages, some of which were provocative and sexual.
First reported: 30.09.2025 22:571 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Sendit sued by the FTC for illegal collection of children data — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 30.09.2025 22:57
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The app misled consumers into buying the premium Diamond Membership by falsely promising to reveal the identity of senders.
First reported: 30.09.2025 22:571 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Sendit sued by the FTC for illegal collection of children data — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 30.09.2025 22:57
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Sendit failed to clearly disclose billing terms for the Diamond Membership, automatically charging up to $9.99 a week instead of a one-time fee.
First reported: 30.09.2025 22:571 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Sendit sued by the FTC for illegal collection of children data — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 30.09.2025 22:57
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The FTC alleges that these practices violate the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA).
First reported: 30.09.2025 22:571 source, 1 articleShow sources
- Sendit sued by the FTC for illegal collection of children data — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 30.09.2025 22:57