FTC orders Mobilewalla, Gravy Analytics to stop collecting geolocation data without permission
By 
Adrianne Appel2025-01-17T16:09:00
Two large data brokers, Mobilewalla and Gravy Analytics, collected billions of records containing sensitive geolocation and personal data of millions of people, and then sold it without their consent, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said.
Federal laws and rules protect individuals’ rights to privacy, which generally require express consent for the collection, use, and selling of personal data. It is possible to collect extensive information about individuals from the websites and places they visit through geolocation data collected by applications on mobile phones.
The FTC alleged that the companies did not receive consent for the collection and sale of sensitive data, including healthcare information, political views, and religious affiliation, along with if they had visited a domestic abuse shelter.
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