privacy

Kianna Underwood, a cast member of the former Nickelodeon children’s sketch comedy series “All That,” was killed in a hit-and-run accident early Friday in Brooklyn, N.Y., authorities said. She was 33.

Anthony Underwood, a family member of the actress, confirmed the death in a social media post asking for privacy.

A report by WABC7 in New York said that Underwood was identified as the pedestrian who was crossing an intersection in the Brownsville area when she was struck by an SUV. A second car also hit and dragged her several feet, the report said.

Underwood appeared on the final season of the popular series “All That” in 2005. Her other credits include the animated series “Little Bill” as the voice of Fuchsia Glover and the animated 2001 musical “Santa Baby!” as the voice of Dakota.

She also played Little Inez in the first national tour of the musical “Hairspray.”

The Walt Disney Co. has settled claims that it violated child privacy laws, said the U.S. Department of Justice, with a federal court entering a stipulated order resolving the case, on Tuesday.

The company agreed to pay $10 million in the case in September.

The Justice Department had alleged that Disney Worldwide Services and Disney Entertainment Operations failed to accurately identify some YouTube video content as “Made for Kids,” enabling Disney and other parties to collect personal data from children under 13 years old. This information was then used for targeted advertising without parental notice or consent.

The Federal Trade Commission investigated the matter and referred the case to the Justice Department.

The alleged activities violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act that requires websites and other online parties to safeguard the personal information it collects for children under 13 by notifying parents and obtaining their consent prior to acquiring such data.

“Supporting the well-being and safety of kids and families is at the heart of what we do,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement in September. “Disney has a long tradition of embracing the highest standards of compliance with children’s privacy laws, and we remain committed to investing in the tools needed to continue being a leader in this space.”

In a statement Tuesday, Assistant Atty. Gen. Brett A. Shumate said, “the Justice Department is firmly devoted to ensuring parents have a say in how their children’s information is collected and used. The Department will take swift action to root out any unlawful infringement on parents’ rights to protect their children’s privacy.”

In addition to the $10-million penalty, the stipulated order prohibits Disney from operating on YouTube “in a manner that violates COPPA and requires Disney to create a program that will ensure it properly complies with COPPA on YouTube going forward,” said the Justice Department.

Disney could not immediately be reached for additional comment.

A ‘great leap forward’

But Schwartz told Al Jazeera that the trend towards government data consolidation has continued in the decades since, under both Democratic leaders and Republicans.

“Surveillance is bipartisan, unfortunately,” he said.

With Trump’s second term, however, the process hit warp speed. Schwartz argues that the Trump administration’s actions violate laws like the Privacy Act, marking a “dangerous” shift away from Nixon-era protections.

“The number-one problem with the federal government in the last year when it comes to surveillance is the demolition of the Watergate-era safeguards that were intended to keep databases separated,” he said.

Schwartz noted that Trump’s consolidation efforts have been coupled with a lack of transparency about how the new, integrated data systems are being used.

“Just as the current administration has done a great leap forward on surveillance and invading privacy, so it also has been a less transparent government in terms of the public understanding what it is doing,” Schwartz said.

Already, on March 20, Trump signed an executive order that called on government agencies to take “all necessary steps” for the dissolution of what he called “data silos”.

Shortly afterwards, in April, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inked a deal with the IRS to exchange personal information, including the names and addresses of taxpayers.

The memo was seen as an effort to turn private taxpayer data into a tool to carry out Trump’s goal of deporting immigrants.

A federal court in November paused the agencies’ data-sharing agreement. But other efforts continue.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of giving DOGE access to sensitive Social Security data. And just this month, the Trump administration pressured states to share information about the recipients of food assistance, or else face a loss of funding.

While immigrants appear to be one of the main targets of the data consolidation project, Venzke said that Americans of all stripes should not be surprised if their personal information is weaponised down the line.

“There is no reason that it will be limited to undocumented people. They are taking a system that’s traditionally limited to non-citizens and vastly expanding it to include all sorts of information on US citizens,” Venzke said.

“That was unthinkable just five years ago, but we’re seeing it happen now, and consequently, its potential abuses are widespread.”

Settlement comes after US Federal Trade Commission accused the entertainment giant of unlawfully collecting children’s data.

Disney has agreed to pay $10m to settle allegations that it breached child privacy laws in the United States, authorities have said.

A federal court approved the settlement to resolve allegations brought by the US Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.

The order also requires Disney to operate its YouTube channel in accordance with data-protection rules and establish a programme to ensure future compliance.

Disney had agreed to settle the claims brought by the US antitrust watchdog in September.

The civil case stems from allegations that Disney collected children’s personal data without parental consent via its videos on YouTube.

Antitrust officials alleged that Disney had wrongly designated more than 300 YouTube videos, including content from The Incredibles, Toy Story, Frozen, and Mickey Mouse, as not being aimed at children.

YouTube requires content creators to designate videos as “Made for Kids” or “Not Made for Kids” to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule.

Under the rule, companies in the US are prohibited from collecting data from children below 13 without parental notification.

Other major companies that have paid settlements under the rule, which has been amended several times since its enactment in 2000, include Google and Microsoft.

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“The Justice Department is firmly devoted to ensuring parents have a say in how their children’s information is collected and used,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A Shumate said in a statement.

“The Department will take swift action to root out any unlawful infringement on parents’ rights to protect their children’s privacy.”

Disney, which has its headquarters in Burbank, California, is one of the world’s largest entertainment companies, with revenue for the fiscal year 2025 reaching $94.4bn.