FTC bans one more data broker from selling your location info

FTC bans one more data broker from selling your location info

January 19, 2024 at 12:14PM

The FTC settled with InMarket, prohibiting it from selling Americans’ location data. The company collects data from its own and third-party apps, creating detailed advertising profiles without users’ consent. The FTC found InMarket’s data retention policy excessive and proposed measures including data deletion and consent enforcement. This is the FTC’s second action to protect location data in a month.

From the meeting notes, it is clear that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken action against InMarket Media to prevent the further proliferation of abuse and to protect American customers from rampant location tracking. InMarket, a Texas-based data aggregation company, has been banned from selling Americans’ precise location data. The FTC alleges that InMarket has been collecting and using people’s location data without their consent to create detailed advertising profiles and that this sensitive data has been used for targeted advertising on the apps incorporating its software development kit (SDK).

As part of the proposed order, the FTC has outlined specific measures to be imposed on InMarket, including the deletion of location data unless consented or anonymized, simplifying consent withdrawal and data deletion processes, and ensuring that location data is collected and used only with explicit consent. In addition, InMarket will be prohibited from selling, licensing, transferring, or sharing any product or service that categorizes or targets consumers based on sensitive location data. The proposed order also requires InMarket to create a program to protect sensitive location data, ensure SDK partners obtain proper consumer consent, and enforce a strict privacy policy and data retention plan.

This action against InMarket is the second case within the month in which the FTC has taken action to protect people’s location data from data brokers and marketers, indicating a significant focus on addressing privacy concerns related to location tracking by data aggregators and marketers.

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