Data brokers like Kochava could sell consumer’ location data multiple times to companies including those that they have never heard of and never interacted with
“Consumers have no insight into how this data is used – they do not, for example, typically know or understand that the information collected about them can be used to track and map their past movements and that inferences about them and their behaviors will be drawn from this information. Consumers are therefore unable to take reasonable steps to avoid the above-described injuries,” according to the FTC.
FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levine said,
“Where consumers seek out health care, receive counseling, or celebrate their faith is private information that shouldn’t be sold to the highest bidder. The FTC is taking Kochava to court to protect people’s privacy and halt the sale of their sensitive geolocation information.”
One of the FTC’s primary priorities is protecting sensitive consumer information including geolocation and health data. Recently, the Commission announced that it is exploring rules to root out harmful commercial surveillance practices that collect, analyze, and profit from people’s information.
