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Surveillance Data Industry Faces Crackdown As FTC Issues Ban
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Tuesday a ban on Venntel, a major location data provider, from selling sensitive consumer data.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- FTC banned Venntel and Gravy Analytics from selling sensitive consumer location data.
- Sensitive data included locations like clinics, religious sites, and refugee shelters.
- Venntel supplied location data to U.S. agencies, including ICE and the FBI.
The order targets Gravy Analytics, Venntel’s parent company, and demands the deletion of historic data collected from vulnerable locations, including health clinics, places of worship, and refugee shelters.
Venntel’s location data is sourced through smartphone apps and the advertising ecosystem. The data has been sold to government agencies such as the IRS, FBI, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as reported on Tuesday by 404 Media .
Venntel also supplies data to surveillance tools like Babel Street’s Locate X and Fog Data Science, used for tracking individuals’ movements.
The complaint alleges that Gravy Analytics and Venntel violated federal laws by collecting and selling location data without users’ consent. The companies reportedly continued using this data even after learning that users had not agreed to its collection.
They also sold lists linking individuals to sensitive attributes, such as medical conditions, religious beliefs, and political activities.
FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levine emphasized the significance of protecting Americans’ privacy. “Surreptitious surveillance by data brokers undermines our civil liberties,” Levine said.
The FTC accused Gravy of violating the FTC Act by selling sensitive data, including health and political information, without informed consent. Gravy collected over 17 billion location signals daily from a billion devices, continuing to do so despite consumers’ objections.
This action follows concerns about Venntel’s role in tracking phones at locations like abortion clinics and Black Lives Matter protests. An investigation by 404 Media and others revealed Venntel’s use of smartphone apps to gather location data without users’ explicit consent.
To address these allegations, the FTC has proposed a settlement prohibiting the companies from selling or using sensitive location data, except in cases involving national security or law enforcement.
The order also mandates the deletion of previously collected data and the creation of a sensitive data program to protect consumer privacy.
The ban underscores increasing scrutiny of location data firms’ practices and their impact on privacy. Senator Ron Wyden, who advocated for protecting military personnel’s data, commended the FTC’s decisive measures, said 404 Media.
Gravy Analytics did not respond to press inquiries. This enforcement action highlights the growing tension between surveillance capabilities and safeguarding civil liberties.
Photo by Adam Khan on Unsplash
Google And Air France Announce New Partnership To Deploy AI Technology
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
Google Cloud—Google’s suite of cloud computing services—announced today a new partnership with the airline Air France-KLM to deploy generative AI technology to optimize and power the travel company’s services.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Google Cloud announced a new partnership with the airline Air France-KLM to deploy generative AI technology
- Air France-KLM expects to optimize data processing, improve its services and aircraft operations, and provide better experiences for customers
- Google will provide training in data science, engineering, security, and AI.
According to the press release , with a generative AI-powered system provided by Google Cloud, the Franco-Dutch airline group will be able to optimize travel experiences for its customers and for its own operations.
“Our collaboration with Google Cloud is a significant step forward in our data strategy,” said Pierre-Olivier Bandet, Air France-KLM Group EVP and group CIO. “By leveraging Google Cloud’s advanced data technology with a real partnership approach, we intend to accelerate our innovation capacities with security in mind, and with generative AI, build the future of travel.”
Air France-KLM operates 551 aircraft and over 93 million passengers used their services in 2023. The company is now moving from its legacy data centers to a multi-cloud approach and making the most of Google Cloud’s services like BigQuery to process data safely.
The airline expects to gain a better understanding of its customers’ behavior, travel patterns, and preferences to enhance operations during flights, at the airport, and through its services to develop analyses, create more accurate predictions, and reduce maintenance time and environmental impact for its aircraft.
Google Cloud will also provide training and support sessions for Air France-KLM’s teams. Through events, online learning experiences, and on-site experiences, the companies expect to help workers gain knowledge and new capabilities in AI, engineering, data science, and safety to manage the new technologies.
“Airlines generate massive amounts of data, much of which can be incredibly valuable in helping drive operational insights, build better customer experiences, and – with the power of gen AI – create entirely new services and offerings,” said Matt Renner, President, Global Revenue at Google Cloud. “We’re proud to support Air France-KLM in its innovation journey and to help the group define the future of the airline industry.”
Other European airlines have also been working with tech companies this year to improve services and provide customers with better experiences. A few weeks ago, Starlink partnered with Air France to provide free wifi in all aircraft starting next year.
