California DOJ Announces $530K Settlement With Sling TV
Sling TV violated the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) because its processes for consumers to opt out of sharing personal information are "confusing" and hard to effectuate, said Stacey Schesser, supervising deputy attorney general at the California DOJ.
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The state filed a $530,000 settlement with the platform Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, she said during a privacy conference. It was the fifth settlement filed under the CCPA, Schesser noted, and stemmed from an investigative sweep of streaming services announced in January 2024.
The complaint alleges that consumers must go to another web form and click through multiple confirmation steps to opt out of sharing their data. Additionally, there's no option to create kids' profiles on Sling TV, which the settlement said makes it hard to limit targeted advertising for minors, as well as to obtain authorization or consent, as the CCPA requires for those younger than 16.
While Schesser didn't provide details of the settlement, a press release from the attorney general's office outlined the proposed judgment. In addition to the monetary penalty, Sling must provide an opt-out mechanism on devices so downloading a mobile app isn't required; ensure that consumers seeking to opt out aren't rerouted to cookie preferences; and allow kid profiles, among other things.
Sling "respect[s] the privacy rights of our customers, and thus, we intend to comply with this order," a spokesperson said.