FTC accuses data broker of selling sensitive location data

By MARCY GORDON
AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators have sued a data broker they accuse of selling sensitive geolocation data from millions of mobile devices. The data can be used to identify people and track their movements to and from sensitive locations, including reproductive health clinics, homeless shelters and places of worship. The Federal Trade Commission on Monday sued Idaho-based Kochava Inc. amid a charged debate over the privacy of individuals who may be seeking an abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling in June ending the constitutional protections for abortion. The data-broker industry has come under amplified scrutiny from Congress and regulators.