Federal Trade Commission bans Kochava from selling location data because of past misbehaviour of selling location data linked to mobile devices
May 5, 2026
Location data is very valuable for a whole range of businesses and law enforcement. One of the first things police do when they have a suspect in a serious crime is to review the location data of that person’s mobile phone. That has sunk many alibis. At the commercial level location data is very valuable as well. It is also very sensitive information. At its most granular tracking a person’s movements is a serious invasion of his or her privacy. And that is what the Federal Trade Commission alleged in its charges against Kochava, a data broker. The FTC sued Kochava in August 2022 for selling data that tracked people to reproductive health clinics, places of worship and other sensitive locations. To resolve the matter Kochava has consented to orders injuncting it from selling sensitive information.
The sale of data in the United States is a big industry and there is no equivalent in Australia in the private sector because of the Privacy Act and general regulation against the commodification of data for commercial gain. But the technology is the same in Australia as in the United States. And in the recent past the controls on data exchange have loosened.
This case is relevant in highlighting the importance of securing and not misusing tracking data. Tracking data is not confined to mobile phones. Technology now allows for tracking of fitness devices and other wearable items. Modern cars have tracking Read the rest of this entry »