The U.S. Federal Trade Commission sued the information broker company Kochava. According to the plaintiff, the defendant sold hundreds of millions of mobile devices, including tracking people in sensitive facilities: reproductive health clinics, shelters for victims of domestic violence, and places of worship.
FTC experts found that in analysing Kochava data, it was possible to identify the owners of the devices by linking them to the home addresses and places visited by family members; according to the agency, at least until June of this year, the company sold sample data on the location of mobile devices and the corresponding geoposition with time tags, and it was relatively easy to access the information.
The plaintiff argues that Kokhava's information product can harm consumers through "discrimination, physical abuse, emotional stress" and other means.
In Kochava itself, he categorically rejected the FTC position. The head of Brian Cox stated that the agency at the fundamental level did not understand the basis of her business. He said that the company had been consulting the Commission for several weeks in an attempt to explain the process of data collection and to work together to find "effective solutions." Even before filing the Kochava claim, it had added the possibility to block data relating to visits to confidential institutions. However, FTC, Mr. Cox, I am sure, had only one goal: to force the company to seek out-of-court settlement of claims.