Starfall, a Nonprofit, Seeks Help From U.S. Counterintelligence to Protect Children From Alleged Chinese Intellectual Property Hijacker

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starfall Education Foundation, a publicly supported nonprofit, made a request today under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) to the U.S. Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency and other DOD agencies for Documents relating to the "inclusion of Tencent Holdings Limited on the Department of Defense List of Chinese Military Companies Operating in the United States," "consumer data collection activities," "revenues derived from activities," and the "ability of the Chinese Military to access personal information about Americans."

Starfall's request comes one week after it filed an amendment to its lawsuit in the Federal district court of Denver against Tencent Holdings (TCEHY) and its Singaporean subsidiary, Proxima Beta Pte. Ltd ( collectively "Tencent") alleging that "Tencent has hijacked Starfall's United States trademarks to attract children" and that it collects "personal information from children" and "places it under the control of a foreign entity."

Tencent Holdings Ltd is a world-leading internet and technology company with headquarters in Shenzhen, China. This January, the US Department of Defense designated Tencent Holdings Ltd as a Chinese Military Company.

The lawsuit alleges that Tencent's activities "were committed knowingly or recklessly" and Starfall is entitled to injunctive relief and damages, including disgorgement of Tencent's profits damages, treble damages, and reasonable attorney fees and costs "in an amount to be determined at trial but believed to be in excess of $1,000,000."

Founded over two decades ago, Starfall is widely used in schools and homes for all children including English language learners. Starfall™ games, movies and books are known as a place "Where Children Have Fun Learning." Earlier this year, Starfall released a successful interactive kindness exhibit for museums that is being translated into ten languages including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Malay.