FTC Keeps Sights On Data Brokers That Sell Sensitive Location Sites

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The Federal Trade Commission recently settled complaints against two data brokers over their handling of consumers' sensitive location information. The agency alleged that such practices constitute unfair practices. Under the settlement, both Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla, agreed to stop using and selling sensitive consumer location data.

The FTC alleged that Gravy Analytics and its subsidiary Venntel unlawfully tracked and sold precise (and thus sensitive) location information about millions of consumers. The information, according to the FTC, could be used to track individuals to places of worship, medical facilities, and political rallies. Similar to the FTC's complaint against Kochava last year, the FTC argued that this constituted an unfair business practice and posed harm to consumers. In its complaint against Mobilewalla, the FTC argued that the data broker -which engaged in down-stream information collection as part of its digital