Apple, Google FTC mobile tracking overview:
- Who: Four Congressional Democrats sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan.
- Why: The Congressmembers urged the FTC to investigate Apple and Google over their mobile data tracking practices.
- Where: An FTC investigation would affect the privacy of Apple and Google users nationwide.
In a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, four Democratic Congressmembers urged the agency to investigate the allegedly “unfair and deceptive” tracking, collection and sale of millions of mobile phone users’ data by Apple and Google.
Signed by senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Ron Wyden of Oregon and Rep. Sara Jacobs of California, the letter accuses the two tech companies of knowingly facilitating “these harmful practices by building advertising-specific tracking IDs into their mobile operating systems,” Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, according to Law30.
“The FTC should investigate Apple and Google’s role in transforming online advertising into an
intense system of surveillance that incentivizes and facilitates the unrestrained collection and
constant sale of Americans’ personal data,” the lawmakers wrote. “It is beyond time to bring an
end to the privacy harms forced on consumers by these companies.”
Apple, Google tracking set as default
Apple and Google built their operating systems, iOS and Android, respectively, to include unique tracking identifiers to be accessed by “the unregulated broker market,” according to the letter. These trackers allow brokers and other third parties to link a device’s data to other consumer data, such as consumers’ movements and web browsing activity. This data can then be acquired by app developers and online advertisers.
Apple and Google only recently began to allow consumers to opt out of the tracking. Apple used to enable the tracking by default and required users to navigate their many phone settings to turn it off, while Google continues to make it the Android default.
Tracking poses ‘serious privacy harms’
While the advertising identifiers are “purportedly anonymous,” data brokers also sell databases that link the identifiers to consumers’ names, email addresses and telephone numbers, the Democrats wrote. A user’s identity can also be determined by using location data to figure out where “they sleep at night.”
Apple and Google fail to “warn consumers about the predictable harms that would result by using their phones with the default settings,” the lawmakers wrote, which exposes hundreds of millions of Americans to exploitation and “serious privacy harms.”
The Congressmembers note such tracking is particularly invasive and concerning given the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Apple’s and Google’s policies would allow private and governmental third parties access to users’ phone data, including their locations, rendering them “particularly vulnerable to privacy harms,” the letter says.
Google “never sells user data, and Google Play strictly prohibits the sale of user data by developers,” using the unique IDs to “give users more control and provide developers with a more private way to effectively monetize their apps,” a Google spokesperson told Law360. The spokesperson noted Android users can delete their advertising ID at any time.
What do you think about Apple and Google’s tracking practices? Sound off in the comments section below!
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14 thoughts onCongress Democrats urge FTC to probe Apple, Google over ‘deceptive’ mobile tracking
add me to the list
Len Green
One of my biggest fears
Please add me. I know I’m part of a Class that is suing Alphabet currently for $5 Billion for data tracking users in Incognito Mode.
Please add me
Please add me
I use google everyday because I’ve trusted them and feel that’s where to get the best information. Please keep me posted and sign me up.
Me as well
Pls add me! we can’t believe who to trust
Me as well
add me
Ive been watching and saving data logs my apple devices do and I’m tech savvy. I turn off defaults like tracking but I’ve found where apple has multiple target areas that log even when things have been turned off. Apple has blocked my iCloud account this past yr and forced me to get a new one shortly after I went into settings and found where the experimental features are and none of the default set ones are detailed just have short name labels and honestly I’ve had to search the terms for quite a few of these even with understanding tech. Then I’ve tracked the issues that occur when you toggle off default experimental settings and basically you’re allowed but then the device stops working properly. They’ve claimed these are for apps you get from their app store but I’ve been watching when I add an app there’s no mention of these experimental features or WebKit usage. If you read through googles privacy policy it also doesn’t say a word about those. I’ve got tons of logs because I’ve been on so many data breach lists since 2012 and that’s when I got my first iPhone and all the breach notices for my info are for apps I got through the App Store
I’m willing to talk to someone if needed and share my findings