S.T.O.P. Welcomes Proposed NYC Ban On Selling Customer Location Data

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For Immediate Release

S.T.O.P. Welcomes Proposed NYC Ban On Selling Customer Location Data

[NEW YORK, NY, 7/23/2019] -- Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy group, welcomed a bill introduced in the New York City Council that would ban the sale of customer location data. Introduction 1632, which is sponsored by Brooklyn Council Member Justin Brannan, would punish phone carriers and app developers who sell customer location data unless “explicitly requested by such customer.”

SEE: New York City to Consider Banning Sale of Cellphone Location Data
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/nyregion/cellphone-tracking-location-data.html

Bill Text
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4069480&GUID=6FA8018C-84A4-4E71-93CE-D467AD53E9EA&Options=Advanced&Search=

The bill would let consumers sue companies that violate the proposed law, imposing up to $10,000 per day in fines and reasonable attorneys’ fees. The bill exempts information provided to law enforcement and other emergency responders.

“We commend Council Member Brannan for fighting for New Yorkers’ privacy,” said Albert Cahn, Executive Director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project at the Urban Justice Center. Companies shouldn’t be allowed to pretend that New Yorkers consent to location tracking when we accept the fine print of their terms and conditions. While we believe this ban would be an important step, we’re concerned that the bill exempts law enforcement surveillance. We need far better restrictions on the NYPD’s ability to track New Yorkers through our phones and apps.”

The New York privacy group previously called on the New York City Council to enact the POST Act, a bill that would create oversight for the NYPD’s use of location tracking and other surveillance tools. The group also previously called on New York to pass a ban on the NYPD’s use of facial recognition.

SEE: S.T.O.P. Welcomes San Francisco Facial Recognition Ban, Urges NY to Enact Same
https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2019/5/14/stop-welcomes-san-francisco-facial-recognition-ban-urges-ny-to-enact-same

POST Act
https://www.stopspying.org/post-act

The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project STOP is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider hosted by the Urban Justice Center. STOP litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.

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CONTACT: STOP Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn;

PressAlbert cahnJuly 23, 2019