Sling TV fined over inadequate privacy protections

U.S. streaming service Sling TV has been ordered by California Attorney General Rob Bonta to pay a $530,000 penalty for violating the state's consumer privacy law, The Cyber Express reports.

The settlement is the first action from the Department of Justice's 2024 review of streaming platforms for compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act. Bonta said the Sling TV failed to make it easy for users to opt out of the sale of their personal data and did not provide enough protections for children.

Aside from not offering parental consent options or dedicated children's profiles to restrict targeted advertising, Sling TV also had confusing and ineffective privacy settings, according to investigators. Users were sent to cookie settings that did not stop data sharing and had to complete lengthy forms.

Under the settlement, Sling TV must simplify its opt-out process, improve child protections, and make privacy tools easier to access across its apps and devices. The agreement follows previous CCPA-related settlements with Sephora, Healthline Media, DoorDash, and Tilting Point Media.