The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) doesn’t want apps to invade your privacy. In a sternly worded letter, the FTC warned that it will take tough action if it catches tech companies and apps illegally using and sharing their users’ sensitive data. It also promised to take tough action if it catches companies or apps making false claims about data anonymization.
What the FTC's Campaign Against Facebook Means for User Data | WSJ
“The FTC’s commitment to enforcing privacy laws on smart devices and apps is fantastic news for consumers,” Tony Pepper, CEO of security vendor Egress, told Lifewire via email. “Any company that violates the law can expect to face the consequences set forth in the law it violated, such as the threat of a court order and financial penalties.”
Kristin Cohen, acting deputy director for Privacy & Identity Protection at the FTC, explains in the letter that a person's precise location and information about their health are two of the most sensitive categories of data commonly collected by connected devices, including smartphones, smart cars and wearables.
Even on its own, such data poses an “incalculable risk” to an individual’s privacy, Cohen argued. When combined for monetization, the risk grows to an “unprecedented intrusion.”
