Dec 10, 2021
Online privacy advocates on Thursday welcomed a letter by dozens of House Democrats urging the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission to enact rules prohibiting the collection and sale of consumers' location data.
Writing to FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel--who was confirmed to the post on Tuesday--and FTC Chair Lina Khan, 44 lawmakers led by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) noted that "currently, app developers are able to collect sensitive user information and sell it to interested parties for a substantial profit."
"Apps can harvest personal information, such as geolocation and phone identifiers, even after users denied permission for such sharing," the lawmakers wrote. "We are concerned that the continued, unregulated commercialization of private geolocation data compromises the safety and privacy of consumers."
\u201cHave you ever denied an app from sharing your personal data? Some app developers are doing it anyway. @RepRaskin and I are urging @FTC and @FCC to crack down on companies that collect and sell sensitive user data, including geolocation and identifying information, for profit \u2b07\ufe0f\u201d— Rep. Katie Porter (@Rep. Katie Porter) 1639154966
"In the past, both FTC and FCC punished bad actors for failing to safeguard location data, but the agencies fell short of establishing prophylactic rules that will better protect consumers," they continued. "While we applaud the agencies' commitments to consumer privacy and safety, it is clear that more needs to be done. To that end, we ask that your agencies take... steps to better protect the safety and privacy of consumers."
The letter's signers want the FTC to:
- Define the sale, transfer, use, or purchase of precise location data collected by an app for purposes other than the essential function of the app as an "unfair act or practice";
- Define app developers' mislabeling of users' location data as "anonymous" as a "deceptive practice"; and
- Enforce its regulations against companies abusing consumers' location data through its penalty authority.
Digital rights groups including Accountable Tech, Common Cause, Free Press Action Fund, and Project on Government Oversight have endorsed the lawmakers' letter, which comes amid a serious Republican challenge to the confirmation of President Joe Biden's nomination of Gigi Sohn to fill the fifth FCC commissioner seat and give Democrats a 3-2 advantage on the regulator's governing body.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
fccrights & justiceprivacyfederal trade commissionus houselina khanjessica rosenworceltechnologycommon cause
Online privacy advocates on Thursday welcomed a letter by dozens of House Democrats urging the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission to enact rules prohibiting the collection and sale of consumers' location data.
Writing to FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel--who was confirmed to the post on Tuesday--and FTC Chair Lina Khan, 44 lawmakers led by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) noted that "currently, app developers are able to collect sensitive user information and sell it to interested parties for a substantial profit."
"Apps can harvest personal information, such as geolocation and phone identifiers, even after users denied permission for such sharing," the lawmakers wrote. "We are concerned that the continued, unregulated commercialization of private geolocation data compromises the safety and privacy of consumers."
\u201cHave you ever denied an app from sharing your personal data? Some app developers are doing it anyway. @RepRaskin and I are urging @FTC and @FCC to crack down on companies that collect and sell sensitive user data, including geolocation and identifying information, for profit \u2b07\ufe0f\u201d— Rep. Katie Porter (@Rep. Katie Porter) 1639154966
"In the past, both FTC and FCC punished bad actors for failing to safeguard location data, but the agencies fell short of establishing prophylactic rules that will better protect consumers," they continued. "While we applaud the agencies' commitments to consumer privacy and safety, it is clear that more needs to be done. To that end, we ask that your agencies take... steps to better protect the safety and privacy of consumers."
The letter's signers want the FTC to:
- Define the sale, transfer, use, or purchase of precise location data collected by an app for purposes other than the essential function of the app as an "unfair act or practice";
- Define app developers' mislabeling of users' location data as "anonymous" as a "deceptive practice"; and
- Enforce its regulations against companies abusing consumers' location data through its penalty authority.
Digital rights groups including Accountable Tech, Common Cause, Free Press Action Fund, and Project on Government Oversight have endorsed the lawmakers' letter, which comes amid a serious Republican challenge to the confirmation of President Joe Biden's nomination of Gigi Sohn to fill the fifth FCC commissioner seat and give Democrats a 3-2 advantage on the regulator's governing body.
Online privacy advocates on Thursday welcomed a letter by dozens of House Democrats urging the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission to enact rules prohibiting the collection and sale of consumers' location data.
Writing to FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel--who was confirmed to the post on Tuesday--and FTC Chair Lina Khan, 44 lawmakers led by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) noted that "currently, app developers are able to collect sensitive user information and sell it to interested parties for a substantial profit."
"Apps can harvest personal information, such as geolocation and phone identifiers, even after users denied permission for such sharing," the lawmakers wrote. "We are concerned that the continued, unregulated commercialization of private geolocation data compromises the safety and privacy of consumers."
\u201cHave you ever denied an app from sharing your personal data? Some app developers are doing it anyway. @RepRaskin and I are urging @FTC and @FCC to crack down on companies that collect and sell sensitive user data, including geolocation and identifying information, for profit \u2b07\ufe0f\u201d— Rep. Katie Porter (@Rep. Katie Porter) 1639154966
"In the past, both FTC and FCC punished bad actors for failing to safeguard location data, but the agencies fell short of establishing prophylactic rules that will better protect consumers," they continued. "While we applaud the agencies' commitments to consumer privacy and safety, it is clear that more needs to be done. To that end, we ask that your agencies take... steps to better protect the safety and privacy of consumers."
The letter's signers want the FTC to:
- Define the sale, transfer, use, or purchase of precise location data collected by an app for purposes other than the essential function of the app as an "unfair act or practice";
- Define app developers' mislabeling of users' location data as "anonymous" as a "deceptive practice"; and
- Enforce its regulations against companies abusing consumers' location data through its penalty authority.
Digital rights groups including Accountable Tech, Common Cause, Free Press Action Fund, and Project on Government Oversight have endorsed the lawmakers' letter, which comes amid a serious Republican challenge to the confirmation of President Joe Biden's nomination of Gigi Sohn to fill the fifth FCC commissioner seat and give Democrats a 3-2 advantage on the regulator's governing body.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.