FTC Cracks Down on Creepy Location Data Brokers: A Win for Privacy in 2024
In 2024, the FTC cracked down on location data brokers, banning several companies from selling precise location data. This marks a major leap in recognizing location information as sensitive personal information. The fight against invasive tracking practices is gaining momentum, with hopes for even stronger safeguards in the coming years.
Hot Take:
It’s 2024, and the only ones more obsessed with our whereabouts than our mothers are the location data brokers. But fear not, as the Federal Trade Commission is finally playing the role of the protective parent, grounding these data-sniffing troublemakers and confiscating their digital eavesdropping tools. Who knew big brother would actually start babysitting the babysitters?
Key Points:
- The FTC took action against several location data brokers, banning the sale of precise location data.
- Data brokers track users through apps, often without explicit user consent.
- Tools like Locate X and FOG Data Science reveal the extent of data tracking and its misuse.
- EFF suggests technical solutions and legislative measures to curb data tracking abuses.
- The CFPB proposed new rules for data broker industry regulation, aiming for adoption in 2025.
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