The FTC and DOJ Act Against Amazon to Protect Privacy
E17: Carpenter Decision Builds Up Privacy from #SCOTUS
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has long expressed a concern about the potential misuse of location data. For example, in a 2022 blog post, “Location, health, and other sensitive information: FTC committed to fully...more
On September 18, in identical opinions issued in separate cases against Google and Apple, EDVA District Judge Michael Nachmanoff ruled that four patents directed toward geolocation of mobile devices claimed patent-ineligible...more
“Precise Geolocation” has become a hot button issue in the privacy world with recent data privacy laws seeking to regulate the collection and processing of such information, including in California and Virginia. The...more
If you don’t know what geofencing is, I will give you some articles to read so you can become better educated on exactly what it is and how it is used to track you. It’s all a bit creepy, but is a good thing to understand....more
Where are you? Your exact location is a tidbit of information that can infringe on your privacy. Knowing your location all the time can help someone map your life....more
This is not the first post discussing location-based services on mobile phones. And it won’t be the last. After reading my colleague’s post on the priest who resigned from his high-profile position after his location was tied...more
Google recently announced that beginning next year it will require Android mobile apps to provide privacy disclosures. These disclosures will live in a new “safety section” in Google Play...more
Businesses subject to the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) are working diligently to comply with the law’s numerous mandates, although final regulatory guidance has yet to be issued. Many of these businesses are...more
Last week’s Privacy Tip centered on how our cell phone geolocation data is being sold by the telephone companies Cell Phone Geolocation Data Being Sold. ...more
A lawsuit filed late last week by Los Angeles City Attorney Michael Feuer alleges that TWC Product and Technology LLC (TWC), the company behind The Weather Company App, is collecting, disclosing, selling and monetizing users’...more
This post discusses some of the contractual requirements imposed by Apple and Google regarding the collection and sharing of locational information. What consents, if any, do Apple and Google require that app publishers...more
Smartphones, websites, and other connected devices (e.g., “wearables”) increasingly request that consumers provide their geo-location information. Geolocation information can refer to general information about a consumer’s...more
I have been watching several articles published by ZDNet with interest. First, ZDNet reported that “four of the largest cell giants in the US are selling your real-time location data to a company that you’ve probably never...more
If you're like millions of Americans, you use the AccuWeather app for iOS to keep up to date about whether the weekend's forecast means fun in the sun or hiding out from the rain. It turns out that AccuWeather may have been...more
On June 28, 2017, the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill limiting the collection and use of geolocation information obtained via smartphones. The bill now heads to Governor Bruce Rauner’s desk for signature or veto. ...more
Smartphones, smartphone apps, websites, and other connected devices (e.g., “wearables”) increasingly request that consumers provide their geo-location information. Geo-location information can refer to general information...more
Bluetooth beacons can be a powerful tool for customer engagement. The 2015 holiday season saw retailers experimenting with this kind of proximity marketing, and 2016 is looking like it will see the large-scale deployment of...more
Recently in United States v. InMobi Pte Ltd., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) set a new standard for geolocational tracking. The FTC told app developers and app marketers one simple rule: honor consumers location privacy...more
When you start needing longer arms to read restaurant menus in the candlelight, you might consider downloading a flashlight app to use with your reading glasses. But before you download it, first be aware that your...more
Pokémon GO has been downloaded 7.5 million times in the U.S. alone. It has been reported that it has surpassed Twitter. If you are enjoying the game, you should know how it is collecting and using your information....more
The activities of children on the internet, whether via computers, smart phones, or tablets, have grown exponentially in recent history. As internet access for children increased, parents began losing control of the amount...more
I have commented before on the use of location based services on mobile telephones and that apps (and your telecommunications provider) use and sell your location data for all sorts of purposes without your knowledge. The...more
Everyone loves their smartphone. Everyone loves the newest app. Angry Birds has lots of company now. But most people don’t know the back end of apps and how they are accessing, using and selling your data. Why? Because no one...more
In this issue: - FTC Settlement with Flashlight App Requires Extensive Disclosures Outside of the Privacy Policy to Collect and Share Geolocation Information - GAO and Senate Commerce Committee Release Studies...more
In 2013 geolocation and biometrics were hot topics. Apple included a fingerprint reader on the new iPhone which was either really cool or an epic fail depending on your viewpoint, and Google and the NSA are tracking our...more