Copyright Newsweek
Video game studios are routinely breaching children’s privacy rights and operating outside the bounds of U.S. and Canadian law. This the finding of a study by researchers from the University of Ottawa, the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and McGill University who warn that video game companies and their third-party partners are systematically exploiting the personal data of minors who play their games. The findings point to an industry that has grown used to evading legal scrutiny while relying on opaque, jargon-filled privacy policies to secure consent from parents. “This is nothing short of scandalous,” said Professor Thomas Burelli, a law professor at the University of Ottawa and co-author of the study. “Of the 139 privacy policies we studied, none fully comply with existing legal frameworks, whether they be American, Canadian or from Quebec.” In their study, the researchers analyzed the privacy policies of 139 video games aimed at children under 13 (under 14 in Quebec)—including 53 paid games, 84 free game and two freemium games. The researchers assessed each policy against privacy laws such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the U.S. and corresponding provincial and federal laws in Canada. Not a single policy met the required legal standard. “Video game studios ask parents to agree to privacy policies that are very complex to understand and sometimes contradictory, and whose legality is highly questionable,” Burelli said. “Studios are banking on the fact that parents are unlikely to take the time to read the privacy policies in their entirety and, even if they do, will not complain considering the complexity of the procedure to do so.” The researchers argued that this opacity is not accidental—but is part of a broader system designed to prioritize profit over protection. The paper highlights how studios and third-party companies collect extensive data through gameplay, including location data, behavioral tracking and in-game communications. These practices, they said, demonstrate “malicious intent,” as companies override children’s rights to gather marketable information. For parents who can not realistically read or understand every privacy policy, Burelli told Newsweek there is a simple if "radical" solution: do not let your children play mobile or online video games. "This does not mean that parents should not allow their children to play video games in general," he said. "Other platforms offer much greater protection of players' personal data while providing incredible experiences—such as Mario or Zelda games published by Nintendo. However, this solution may be difficult to implement because mobile phones are the most commonly used platform for playing video games—and probably the most convenient for parents." Co-author Maude Bonenfant, a professor at UQAM, warned that the visual design of children’s games often masks these risks: “Not only do children and parent not have access to the good information to provide clear consent but, in addition, misleading information provides a false sense of security, particularly if the game’s appearance is childish and innocent.” The second strategy is to urge public representatives to enforce existing children's data protection laws more effectively, as the findings indicate these laws are not fully upheld. "When their children are already playing mobile video games, parents can exercise the few rights they have," Burelli said. "Request access to the data collected, modify it and request its deletion. However, by requesting deletion, they may lose access to all or part of the gaming service. In sum, the easiest strategy and the most accessible one is not let their children play mobile games." The research team is calling for urgent legislative action. With nearly 39 percent of Canadian children between 6 and 17 identified as active gamers, they say the stakes are high. The findings arrive as a class-action lawsuit moves forward in Quebec, alleging widespread privacy violations by mobile game companies. The team is developing classification proposals to address the collection and use of players' personal data. They are also building a database for parents to review and assess mobile game privacy policies for children, helping them make informed decisions about game access. Do you have a tip on a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about privacy and video games? Let us know via science@newsweek.com. Reference Bonenfant, M., Burelli, T., Grimes, S. M., Mili, H., & Privat, J. (2025). Jeu dangereux: La protection de la vie privée des enfants de moins de 13 ans dans les jeux mobiles. Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
