Data brokers Mobilewalla and Gravy Analytics, as well as its subsidiary Venntel, have been prohibited from selling sensitive location data of Americans, including information related to visits to locations such as medical facilities, places of worship, and military installations, according to recent Federal Trade Commission reports.
Effect On Monitoring Methods
The FTC’s charges against Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla demonstrate the growing alarm over data broker spying activities. These businesses created comprehensive profiles of people’s activities and behaviors by gathering and analyzing billions of location data points from mobile devices every day. Sensitive information, such people attending maternity clinics or taking part in protests, could be identified thanks to this degree of surveillance.
The FTC’s prohibitions are intended to reduce these intrusive tactics and safeguard the privacy of consumers. The FTC is taking action to curb the “surveillance power as a service” that data brokers have been offering by outlawing the selling of sensitive location data and requiring the removal of past data. This move highlights the need for more stringent regulation in the data brokerage industry, which has been largely unregulated and out of the public eye.
Consumer Privacy And Consent
With regulatory agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) closely examining how businesses gather and utilize sensitive data, especially location data, consumer consent is essential to data privacy. Consent management platforms (CMPs), which provide customers control over their data sharing settings, have become popular tools for firms looking to get and manage user consent. However, as seen by Sephora’s $1.2 million penalties for alleged CCPA violations, improper management of consent can have serious repercussions.
Important facets of consumer privacy and consent include:
Prior to collecting or processing sensitive personal data, specific, affirmative consent must be obtained.
Supplying easily comprehensible disclaimers on data gathering, use, and sharing procedures.
Putting in place systems that allow customers to quickly opt out or revoke their consent.
Ensuring that the precise goals for which consent was given are met by the data processing operations.
Putting in place reliable procedures to confirm consent, particularly for private information like exact location data.
The FTC has begun enforcing stricter penalties against businesses that improperly handle customer data, highlighting the significance of informed consent and open data standards in safeguarding consumer privacy.
The Enforcement Strategy Of The FTC
In recent years, the FTC has stepped up its enforcement efforts against data brokers who improperly handle sensitive location data. Important elements consist of:
Prohibiting the sale or exchange of sensitive location data, unless it is necessary for law enforcement or national security.
Requiring businesses to put in place thorough processes to recognize and protect sensitive areas.
Requiring the removal of previous location data unless it has been appropriately de-identified or made non-sensitive.
Implementing explicit consumer permission procedures for the gathering and usage of data.
Extending the meaning of “sensitive location data” to encompass specific addresses connected to healthcare facilities, places of worship, educational institutions, and other susceptible locations.
The FTC’s dedication to safeguarding consumer privacy and preventing what it perceives as “unchecked corporate surveillance” in the data broker sector is demonstrated by these actions.