Why it matters: A vast surveillance network built by data brokers can track nearly any phone’s location through mobile advertising IDs, putting millions of Americans’ privacy and safety at risk. This $200 billion industry operates with minimal oversight, selling sensitive location data that can reveal intimate details of people’s lives, from healthcare visits to religious practices.
The Privacy Invasion: 404 media reports that data brokers collect location information through common apps used for navigation, food delivery, and fitness tracking. Despite claims of anonymity, these companies can easily identify individuals using just a few data points.
- Home addresses revealed by overnight locations
- Workplaces identified through weekday patterns
Government Involvement: The Verge reports that federal agencies are purchasing this sensitive data from brokers, effectively bypassing constitutional protections against warrantless surveillance. Law enforcement and immigration authorities use this information for investigations, raising serious civil liberties concerns.
- Agencies circumvent warrant requirements (Krebs On Security)
- Location data tracks clinic visits and protests
Consumer Impact: The tracking is nearly impossible to avoid, as data brokers use sophisticated “identity graphs” to follow people even when they opt out of ad tracking. In California alone, almost 90 companies admit to collecting and selling location data.
