The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a complaint against social app Sendit and its CEO Hunter Rice, alleging that the company unlawfully harvested children’s data, misled users about privacy protections, and violated federal children’s privacy law. The complaint, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, accuses the app’s parent company, Iconic Hearts, of building its business on deceptive practices while targeting one of the most vulnerable demographics online: children under 13.
According to the FTC’s complaint, Sendit—an app that integrates with Snapchat and Instagram and allows users to ask anonymous questions and play interactive games—has been downloaded more than 30 million times. Its youthful user base, the agency said, was no accident. The app allegedly positioned itself as a fun, social environment for teenagers while simultaneously tracking their activity, collecting identifiers, and using the data for targeted advertising without parental consent.
Alleged COPPA Violations
At the core of the lawsuit is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which requires companies to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. The FTC alleges Sendit not only failed to do this but also knowingly ignored evidence that its user base included large numbers of minors.
The complaint cites internal company communications showing executives were aware that children as young as 11 years old were active on the app. Despite this, Iconic Hearts allegedly continued to collect data points such as device identifiers, IP addresses, and usage patterns, then monetized that information by selling ad space through third-party networks.
“The defendants knowingly and unlawfully collected personal information from numerous children under the age of 13, without informing parents or obtaining their consent,” the filing said.
Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, added to it saying, “Sendit’s operator and CEO were well aware that many of its users were under the age of 13 and still failed to comply with COPPA. At the same time, they manipulated many users, including children, into signing up for their weekly subscription service by sending fake messages and promising to reveal the identity of message senders but failing to deliver.”
Deceptive Privacy Disclosures
The FTC also accuses Sendit of misleading users about its privacy protections. The app’s disclosures and marketing promised control over who viewed personal data, but in practice those features were minimal and misleading. Furthermore, the FTC contends Sendit employed “dark patterns”—interface tactics that pushed users to share more information and stay active—even when they may not have understood the tradeoffs.
Iconic Hearts and Rice are also accused of willfully targeting a juvenile audience. Rather than tailoring policies for children, the FTC alleges that Sendit fostered growth by minimizing friction at every turn, capturing attention and data while sidestepping transparency. The CEO is named personally to emphasize accountability at decision-making levels.
The case against Sendit is the latest in a string of FTC enforcement efforts aimed at social media apps popular with minors. Just this month, Disney agreed to pay $10 million to settle similar allegations of unlawful data collection on children’s platforms. Regulators say the Sendit case illustrates how smaller, fast-growing apps can become blind spots in the broader fight over kids’ online safety.
Also read: Disney to Pay $10M After FTC Finds It Enabled Children’s Data Collection Via YouTube Videos
If Sendit and Rice lose, they face civil fines, orders to delete unlawfully obtained data, and ongoing oversight. The complaint seeks injunctive relief that could ban the company from collecting children’s data unless strict safety controls are in place.
Sendit has yet to comment publicly. But the FTC’s strategy is to go after platforms targeting minors. These platforms need to include compliance into growth strategies—any app masking data extraction behind youthful engagement risks becoming the next enforcement headline.
