ABC News’ sudden 404 outage on its live‑streaming page has sparked a nationwide debate about how tech giants handle privacy opt‑out compliance. When the link to the live video (http://abcnews.go.com/Live/video/abcnews-live-41463246) returned a “404 Not Found” error, the site’s error page revealed a complex web of privacy controls—toggle switches for “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information,” “Interest‑Based Ads,” and a Global Privacy Control (GPC) button—prompting users to question whether the company truly respects their opt‑out choices.
Background/Context
ABC News, part of The Walt Disney Company, has long been a major player in the U.S. media landscape. In 2023, the company rolled out a new privacy framework that aligns with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the forthcoming U.S. federal privacy bill. The framework includes a “privacy opt‑out compliance” dashboard that lets users control data sharing across Disney’s digital properties. However, the 404 incident exposed gaps in the user experience: the error page’s privacy toggles were buried behind a generic “Page Unavailable” message, and the site’s cookie consent banner was not immediately visible, leaving many visitors unaware of their rights.
Key Developments
ABC News’ 404 page triggered a series of rapid responses from both regulators and the public. First, the company issued a statement acknowledging the error and promising a full audit of its privacy controls. “We are committed to ensuring that every user can exercise their privacy rights without confusion,” said ABC News spokesperson Maya Patel. Second, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) opened a preliminary investigation into whether the company’s privacy opt‑out compliance mechanisms meet the standards set by the CCPA and the proposed federal privacy law. Third, the incident prompted a surge in user traffic to the Disney Privacy Center, where visitors could submit opt
