The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against location data companies Venntel and Gravy Analytics, Inc. for unlawfully tracking and selling private consumer information. The companies are now banned from selling, disclosing, or using sensitive location data without proper consent. Venntel’s customers include federal law enforcement agencies, and they have allegedly violated the FTC Act by collecting and selling consumer data without consent. Gravy Analytics allegedly created lists of consumers attending events related to sensitive topics. The FTC stated that such actions put consumers at risk of privacy harms and discrimination. Both companies are required to establish a sensitive data location program and ensure their clients do not use data to locate homes or track people to political events. Violations of the consent order could result in fines, and the companies must delete all sensitive data that is not compliant with the order. NBC News reached out to the companies for comment but did not receive a response. The proposed consent order is subject to a 30-day public comment period. The FTC’s action against Venntel and Gravy Analytics came on the same day that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced a proposed rule to limit the sale of personal identifiers collected by certain companies to protect consumers’ financial data.
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FTC Cracks Down on Location Data Companies for Allegedly Misusing Consumer Information
