Two u.s data brokers have agreed not to collect data location data on Americans following A decision by the FTC Two U.S. data brokers have agreed not to collect private location data on Americans as part of a pair of settlements with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which accused the companies of illegally tracking millions of people near to sensitive locations like healthcare facilities and military bases.
The two settlements, announced in a statement on Tuesday, that it will prohibit Virginia-based Gravy Analytics and Georgia-based Mobilewalla, from collecting and retaining people’s sensitive granular location data.
This agreement was reached after the FTC accused the two data brokers — companies that profit from collecting huge amounts of people’s personal information and selling it to others — of selling millions of identifiable location data points, including where people visited clinics and places of worship.
The FTC alleges that Gravy Analytics, alongside its secondary Venntel, collected and used customers’ location data for commercial and government uses without gaining consent from the individuals in concern.
The organization apparently continued to use this data even after learning that consumers hadn’t provided acknowledged consent for their data to be used for commercial purposes.
Gravy Analytics also falsely sold sensitive data about individuals, such as health or medical decisions, political activities and religious standpoints, that had been derived and determined based on a person’s location data, according to the FTC’s complaint.
Also accused, is Mobilewalla who was found selling sensitive location data, including Information that could expose the identity of a persn’s private home, the U.S. federal regulator said.
According to The FTC, Mobilewalla also used sensitive location data to grow audience segments to target customers for advertising. For instance, the company created a report dated june, 2020 ,analyzing people who protested the death of George Floyd and determined the which protesters’ racial backgrounds and whether they lived in the cities where they protested.
Under the two settlements announced on Monday, December 2nd, 2024, Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla will no longer collect sensitive location data on consumers, and must delete the historic data they have collected from a number of Americans.
Consequently, both organizations will also have to maintain a sensitive location data program, whereby they must develop a list of sensitive locations and prevent the use, sale, license, transfer, sharing, or disclosure of consumers’ visits to those locations. Included in these locations are; medical facilities, religious organizations, schools, and correctional facilities.
Although, Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla did not immediately respond to questions being asked during an interview,
On Monday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a new rule that would totally block data brokers from selling personal and financial information on Americans, including their Social Security numbers and phone numbers.
This is the Decision and action taken by the U.S. government as the Biden administrationslowly comes to an end.
