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MaiOtaku Dating Site Allegedly Imports AniMinneapolis, Meta Con Attendee Profile Information Without User Consent

A user in the "Minnesota Cosplayers" Facebook group alleged on October 30 that users who signed up for the AnimeCon.org conventions AniMinneapolis and Meta Con conventions are also automatically signed up to the MaiOtaku dating site without their consent. The imported information includes names, emails, and credit card details. The poster advised convention goers to search for their information by entering their email into the Lost Password Recovery page. One of the concerns also alleges that some of the profiles were populated for convention attendees who are under the age of 18.

In a statement on Twitter, AnimeCon.org convention runner Ryan Kopf denied that users' personal information is shared outside the scope of the site's privacy policy, and claimed that users were actually creating the profiles in their attempts to search for them on the system. He further explained that he provides a number of free websites and services which use a centralized Single Sign-On system, so the MaiOtaku profile is activated by logging into the site with their convention information. The website has been updated to add an "Activate Now" button for users logging in for the first time.

The AnimeCon.org and MaiOtaku services are both run by Chrono Pop LLC. According to MaiOtaku's privacy policy page, any online service belonging to Chrono Pop LLC will collect user information such as their name, phone number, email address, IP address, and physical location. The scope of the privacy policy is described as follows:

This policy applies to all websites and services operated and/or offered by Chrono Pop LLC (“services”), including third-party websites. This could also include services that we host, create, or manage for third parties that use or collect your information in tangent with our services, or services we provide to third parties that use or collect your information in tangent with our services. Any time you access any service we provide, your access is governed by this policy. If a particular product has additional privacy practices, you will find those along with that product.

All use of our websites and related services require your affirmative consent to this privacy policy and our data collection practices, including your consent to our use of your data for our business purposes. Without your consent, these services and websites can not be offered, and you may not access or utilize these services.

MaiOtaku's privacy policy page makes no direct reference to AnimeCon.org or the associated conventions.

The AnimeCon.org convention organization runs the AniMinneapolis and Meta Con conventions in Minneapolis, Anime-ZAP! in Peoria, Illinois, Kanpai!Con in Omaha, Anime Midwest and Con+Alt+Delete in Rosemont, Illinois, and QC Anime-zing! in Davenport, Iowa.

Ryan Kopf, the chief executive officer, was banned from future Anime Milwaukee conventions following an alleged sexual assault that took place during the 2018 convention between February 16-18 at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee hotel. Kopf was previously named in a police report alleging he committed forcible rape at the Clarion Hotel in Davenport, Iowa on May 3, 2013. The police report states the incident occurred during an anime convention run by Kopf and the victim was a member of the convention's volunteer staff.