The court grants the FTC the opportunity to refile.
Judge Lynn Winmill dismissed the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) lawsuit against Kochava, Inc., a data broker that makes money selling phone users’ past geolocation data.
Kochava’s sales of consumer data include “sensitive” places people have been, such as abortion clinics, addiction recovery facilities, and places of worship. The FTC alleged that the sales of such data could cause harm to users if the data is used to endanger their personal safety, and sought to force the company to delete that sensitive data.
Though the court agreed that Kochava’s sales practice is unsavory, they did not find the core of the FTC’s lawsuit to be persuasive. “The FTC’s first theory of consumer injury is plausible, but the FTC has not adequately alleged that Kochava’s data sales “cause or are likely to cause” the purported secondary harms,” the court stated.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Chair Lina Khan to seek God’s guidance as she heads the FTC.
- For members of the FTC as they seek to protect consumer privacy.
- For federal judges as they hear cases regarding consumer information and data.
Sources: Reuters, Federal Trade Commission
