Senators Edward Markey and Joe Barton, co-founders of the Bi-Partisan Congressional Privacy Caucus, issued an open letter to the company inquiring as to why and what kind of information belonging to children is stored by VTech and how they use this data, security practices employed to protect that data, if children's information is shared or sold to third-parties and how the company complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. In February 2016, Hunt publicized the fact that VTech had modified its Terms and Conditions for new customers so that the customer acknowledges and agrees that any information transmitted to VTech may be intercepted or later acquired by unauthorized parties. In January 2018 the US Federal Trade Commission fined VTech $650,000 for the breach, around $0.09 per victim. Core businesses Electronic learning products (ELPs) VTech was among the pioneers of the ELP industry, beginning in 1980 with a unit designed to teach children basic spelling and mathematics. Today VTech makes both individual standalone products and platform products that combine a variety of consoles with different software. Its V.Smile TV Learning System, which was launched in 2004, established what the company calls platform products as an important category within its ELPs. Latest additions to the platform product range are MobiGo, InnoTab Max, Kidizoom Smart Watch and InnoTV (StorioTV in Europe Excluding United Kingdom). Telecommunication (TEL) products VTech introduced the world's first 900 MHz and 5.8 GHz cordless phones in 1991 and 2002 respectively. According to MZA Ltd, the company is the world's largest manufacturer of cordless telephones. In North America, VTech is the largest player in the industry, according to MarketWise Consumer Insights LLC, selling both AT&T and VTech branded phones and accessories. Outside North America, VTech mainly supplies products to fixed-line telephone operators, brand names and distributors on an original design manufacturing (ODM) basis. Contract manufacturing services (CMS) VTech started manufacturing products for other brand names on an original equipment manufacturing (OEM) basis in the 1980s and CMS became one of the company's core businesses in the early 2000s. VTech has been identified as one of the world's top 50 electronics manufacturing services providers, providing electronics manufacturing services for medium-sized companies. VTech's CMS has focused on four main product categories: professional audio equipment, switching mode power supplies, wireless products and solid-state lighting. Criticism A June 2012 report from the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights said the working conditions