FTC Order Will Ban InMarket from Selling Precise Consumer Location Data

Summary:

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a settlement with data aggregator InMarket Media, alleging that the company failed to obtain informed consent from consumers before collecting and using their location data for advertising and marketing purposes. The FTC claims that InMarket collected precise location data from various sources, including its own apps and third-party apps, and used it to create audience segments for targeted advertising. The proposed order requires InMarket to delete or destroy all collected location data, provide a mechanism for consumers to opt out of data collection, and create a comprehensive privacy program. This is the FTC's second recent case involving the unfair collection of location data, which can reveal sensitive information about a person's life.