The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released a report criticizing major social media and video streaming companies for inadequate privacy protections and excessive data collection practices that particularly affect children and teens. The report highlights how platforms like Meta, TikTok, Twitch, YouTube, and others gather vast amounts of personal data through tracking technologies and data brokerage, often without proper transparency or user consent. FTC Chair Lina Khan emphasized that these practices pose risks such as identity theft and other harms while benefiting companies financially. The report's findings come amid ongoing discussions in Congress about legislation aimed at safeguarding youth online. In response to concerns, some companies have initiated measures like enhanced parental controls for teen accounts. The report reflects a broader scrutiny of how tech firms handle user data, especially as they increasingly utilize it to train artificial intelligence systems.