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FTC Lobbies To Be Top Cop For Geolocation
chicksdaddy (814965) writes 'As the U.S. Senate considers draft legislation governing the commercial use of location data, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is asking Congress to make it — not the Department of Justice — the chief rule maker and enforcer of policies for the collection and sharing of geolocation information, the Security Ledger reports.
Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection, told the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee for Privacy, Technology that the Commission would like to see changes to the wording of the Location Privacy Protection Act of 2014 (LPPA) . The LPPA is draft legislation introduced by Sen. Al Franken that carves out new consumer protections for location data sent and received by mobile phones, tablets and other portable computing devices. Rich said that the FTC, as the U.S. Government's leading privacy enforcement agency, should be given rule making and enforcement authority for the civil provisions of the LPPA. The current draft of the law instead gives that authority to the Department of Justice.
The LPPA updates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act to take into account the widespread and availability and commercial use of geolocation information provided. LPPA requires that companies get individuals' permission before collecting location data off of smartphones, tablets, or in-car navigation devices, and before sharing it with others.
It would prevent what Franken refers to as "GPS stalking," preventing companies from collecting location data in secret. LPPA also requires companies to reveal the kinds of data they collect and how they share and use it, bans the development, operation, and sale of GPS stalking apps and requires the federal government to collect data on GPS stalking and facilitate reporting of GPS stalking by the public.'
Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection, told the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee for Privacy, Technology that the Commission would like to see changes to the wording of the Location Privacy Protection Act of 2014 (LPPA) . The LPPA is draft legislation introduced by Sen. Al Franken that carves out new consumer protections for location data sent and received by mobile phones, tablets and other portable computing devices. Rich said that the FTC, as the U.S. Government's leading privacy enforcement agency, should be given rule making and enforcement authority for the civil provisions of the LPPA. The current draft of the law instead gives that authority to the Department of Justice.
The LPPA updates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act to take into account the widespread and availability and commercial use of geolocation information provided. LPPA requires that companies get individuals' permission before collecting location data off of smartphones, tablets, or in-car navigation devices, and before sharing it with others.
It would prevent what Franken refers to as "GPS stalking," preventing companies from collecting location data in secret. LPPA also requires companies to reveal the kinds of data they collect and how they share and use it, bans the development, operation, and sale of GPS stalking apps and requires the federal government to collect data on GPS stalking and facilitate reporting of GPS stalking by the public.'
Just pass a law and let the states or local federal courts deal with it. The government doesnt need anymore power.
I think a lot of people will be interested in the British developments in using the earth's magnetic field as a type of magnetic map that a device can use to find its precise location on earth, accurately, and without any network of equipment (satellites, ground stations, etc). Right now its apparently a meter-long shoebox but they will eventually get it down in size. Using our own magnetic field for navigation, just like the birds do, is probably the future of all navigational aids just because of how accurate it can be without any support network.
The funny thing about the FCC is that while most bribed politicians try and keep it a secret, these guys advertise it like a badge of honor.
God spoke to me
Rich said that the FTC, as the U.S. Government's leading privacy enforcement agency, should be given rule making and enforcement authority for the civil provisions of the LPPA.
Considering how existing US privacy enforcement is an absolute joke, I think I'd rather try something new instead of "more of the same." Maybe the FTC could better spend their time, I don't know, jailing the traders that broke the economy?
Since these "commissions" like the FTC, FDA, and FCC have even more obvious problems with revolving doors then even the DoJ does, I doubt it would be a good idea at all to hand this off to the likes of an FTC staffed by former Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and telecom execs.
So, according to the summary, it puts limits on commercial use of GPS tracking data. Where does it limit government use of GPS tracking data?
Laws don't prevent anything, they discourage it.
Not even that. In this case all it means is an updated EULA, where buried on page 15 will be a statement about their collection of location data, which everyone will simply click "agree" to. There will be a few stories about it on /. ("So-and-so big company collecting all your location data!"), and nobody but /. readers will care so long as the app continues to let them put fish-faced selfies somewhere that their "friends" (really their friend's friend's older cousin's barista's little sister) can see it and comment on it.