App Maker Sued by NJ

New Jersey has sued a mobile app developer, claiming its educational games collect personal information about young children without their consent.

The lawsuit against Los Angeles-based 24x7digital LLC was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court. The company developed and operates the popular "TeachMe" series of apps for mobile devices.

State Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa says the suit is the first of its kind resulting from a new initiative by the state's Consumer Affairs division aimed at Internet privacy violations and acts of cyber fraud.

The state claims the company does not notify users that it shares the personal information or obtain consent from parents, which it says violates of the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

An email seeking comment from 24x7digital was not returned Wednesday afternoon.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)