Massachusetts Becomes First US State to Ban Smartphone Location Tracking
Massachusetts has taken a groundbreaking step in safeguarding digital privacy by becoming the first state in the US to ban location tracking for smartphone users. The proposed “Location Shield Act” is anticipated to be passed, according to The Wall Street Journal. This move is seen as a significant measure to protect individuals’ privacy rights.
Under the legislation, the collection and sale of smartphone users’ location information would be prohibited in Massachusetts. Even government agencies like the police would require a court-issued warrant to access such data. The bill, championed by the Democratic Party’s Senate floor leader and supported by the Democratic governor, is highly likely to be passed by the Massachusetts state legislature and subsequently implemented.
Typically, smartphone location information is obtained through various mobile apps, including search engines like Google, online shopping platforms, gaming apps, and weather forecast services. Most US states have regulations stating that users must give consent to the collection of location information when installing an app. However, many users might be unaware of the extent to which their information is being shared. Thus, effective protection of personal information has been a concern.
The value of the smartphone location information market in the United States is estimated at $1 billion. Companies often utilize this data to deliver targeted, location-based advertisements for restaurants, real estate, events, and more. Moreover, there are privacy implications for women seeking abortions, with location information potentially revealing their secret movements from areas where abortion is illegal to places where it is legal.
The Massachusetts bill does allow limited access to location information for industries where it is deemed essential, such as weather forecasting or ride-sharing services. However, it strictly prohibits the transfer of obtained information to third parties.
Interestingly, among the supporters of this bill is a civic group advocating for abortion rights. The Supreme Court’s recent departure from precedents guaranteeing abortion rights has raised suspicions that women seeking abortions might be tracked as they travel from states where it is prohibited to states where it is legal, such as Massachusetts.
The ban on location tracking in Massachusetts sets a strong precedent for other states and underscores the ongoing debate concerning privacy violations resulting from the trading of users’ location information. By taking this proactive step, Massachusetts aims to prioritize individuals’ digital privacy and set a new standard for other states to follow suit.
Users’ location information is exposed through various apps installed on smartphones, and is often traded as a commodity between for-profit companies or government agencies, raising controversy over privacy violations. / linked images
Massachusetts has become the first US state to ban location tracking for smartphone users. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 10th (local time) that the Massachusetts state legislature is likely to pass the ‘Location Shield Act’ with such content. This is one of the strongest forms of digital privacy protection.
The bill includes a ban on the collection and sale of information about the location of people using smartphones in Massachusetts. Even when government agencies such as the police need location information, they must obtain a warrant from the court. This bill is promoted by the Senate floor leader of the Democratic Party, which controls the Massachusetts state legislature, and the governor is also a member of the Democratic Party, so it is likely to be passed by the Congress and its implementation.
Usually, smartphone location information is collected through various mobile apps such as search tools like Google, online malls, games, and weather forecasts. In most US states, there is a law that requires users to “consent to the collection of location information” when installing an app, but users who are not aware of the fact that they have consented or may be transferred’ this information. There were many points where personal information was not being effectively protected.
Big data, where smartphone users’ location information is automatically collected, is a powerful basis for various companies to send location-based, customized ads, such as restaurants, real estate, and events, to specific people. There is even the privacy of women who go secretly from an area where abortion is illegal to an area where abortion is legal. /MarTech
The smartphone location information market is worth $1 billion (about 1.294 trillion won) in the United States. For example, when you go to a certain area, customized ads for nearby restaurants appear using location information on your smartphone. Basically, the location information itself does not contain the user’s detailed personal information, but based on the long-term location information, it is possible to estimate the home, work, school and life pattern. The WSJ reported that the government, including the military and intelligence agencies, is buying and using more and more location information. The Massachusetts bill allows this practice on a limited basis for industries where location information is essential, such as weather forecasts or ride-sharing services, but makes it impossible to transfer the information obtained to third parties parties.
Meanwhile, the WSJ reported that one of the groups strongly promoting this bill was a civic group that guaranteed abortion rights. This is because after the US Supreme Court broke precedent guaranteeing abortion rights last year, suspicions were raised that women who secretly left states where abortion was banned and sought procedures in places where abortion was legal, such as Massachusetts, were being trace.
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