Amazon to pay $30.8 million to settle FTC privacy claims

Amazon agreed to pay $30.8 million to resolve two cases brought by the Federal Trade Commission Wednesday related to privacy lapses by its smart devices.

In one case, the FTC alleged that Amazon didn’t take steps to protect the privacy of users of its Ring video doorbell. The company will pay $5.8 million to settle the complaint filed in federal court in Washington, DC.

In the second case, filed in Washington state federal court on behalf of the FTC, the Justice Department said Amazon’s Alexa-powered speakers collected information about children under the age of 13 without parental consent in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.