General Mills accused of collecting data from kids

General Mills is coming under fire by nearly 20 children’s advocacy, health and public interest groups for violating a federal law to protect children's privacy, the New York Times reports. The coalition claims five well-known companies, including the Golden Valley-based cereal maker, are encouraging kids, who play games or use other features on their websites, to provide email addresses of their friends without seeking parental consent.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Updated:: Mar 8, 2018
Original:: Aug 22, 2012

General Mills is coming under fire by nearly 20 children’s advocacy, health and public interest groups for violating a federal law to protect children's privacy, the New York Times reports. The coalition claims five well-known companies, including the Golden Valley-based cereal maker, are encouraging kids, who play games or use other features on their websites, to provide email addresses of their friends without seeking parental consent.

Two sites operated by General Mills, TrixWorld.com and ReesesPuffs.com, are among six cited by the advocacy groups in a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission. Sites by McDonald's, Nickelodeon and Subway are also included.

A General Mills spokesperson said the company follows approved practices. Other defenders said that the law includes an exception for one-time "tell-a-friend" marketing.

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The Twin Cities man who gained national television attention earlier this month for setting a box of Cheerios on fire outside General Mills headquarters in Golden Valley, has died of a heart attack. Michael L. Leisner, 65, of Andover, staged his one-man protest over the cereal maker's support for same-sex marriage.

Attorneys for General Mills Inc. pleaded their case in front of a federal judge on Friday over claims that its Yoplait Greek-style yogurt is neither Greek nor yogurt. The Golden Valley-based company asked U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson to throw out the consumer fraud lawsuit, which was filed by Minneapolis law firm Zimmerman Reed.

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Golden Valley-based General Mills Inc. says that its fiscal first-quarter profit went up 35 percent, with acquisitions lifting sales, the Associated Press reports. The results in the latest quarter were aided by the food maker's purchase of a controlling stake in Yoplait International and Food Should Taste Good, a natural snack foods company.

General Mills did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. The Massachusetts-based natural snack foods company makes tortilla chips and sweet potato chips.

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