The FTC Cracks Down on Data Brokers Tracking Americans

The FTC Cracks Down on Data Brokers Tracking Americans

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken significant action against two data brokers, Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla, for their practices of collecting and selling sensitive location data of millions of Americans. The FTC's decision is a significant step towards protecting individual privacy and limiting the surveillance capabilities of these companies. The Data Brokers' Practices Both Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla were found to be collecting and selling location data that could be used to track individuals to sensitive locations such as: Healthcare facilities Military bases Religious sites Labor union gatherings Protest sites Mobilewalla, in particular, was collecting data through real-time bidding exchanges, which allowed them to track users' mobile devices and build detailed profiles. This data was then used to create targeted advertising campaigns and analyze sensitive groups, including pregnant women and protesters. Venntel, a subsidiary of Gravy Analytics, collected lo…