Your Location is Big Business – And the Government is a Customer
We’ve all experienced the unsettling feeling of seeing an ad that seems to know a little too much about our lives. That feeling is justified. Latest reporting confirms that the extremely systems powering those targeted ads are now being used by government agencies to track people’s locations without a warrant.
The Data Broker Ecosystem: How Your Movements Are Tracked
For years, the internet advertising industry has been collecting our data, including precise location information, to deliver “more relevant” ads. Simultaneously, federal law enforcement agencies have been quietly purchasing this location data from data brokers – companies most people have never heard of.
A recent report uncovered by 404 Media reveals that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been utilizing location data sourced from the online advertising ecosystem to track individuals’ movements. The agency admits that its surveillance program leverages the same technical systems used to select the ads you see on nearly every website and app.
This system relies heavily on real-time bidding (RTB), a process where ad space is auctioned off in milliseconds. During these auctions, a wealth of personal information – including advertising IDs, GPS coordinates, and browsing history – is broadcast to potentially thousands of companies. Even if an advertiser doesn’t win the auction, they still receive this data.
Data brokers, like Venntell and Mobilewalla, exploit this vulnerability to harvest data at a massive scale. One FTC finding showed location data broker Mobilewalla collected data on over a billion people, with an estimated 60% sourced from RTB auctions. Apps, even seemingly innocuous ones like weather apps, dating apps, and fitness trackers, often request location permissions and can share that data with these brokers, sometimes without the app developer’s knowledge.
Government Utilize of Location Data: Beyond Advertising
The CBP document is the first direct acknowledgement from the agency that its location data purchases are linked to the RTB system. Although the document details a pilot program from 2019-2021, the practice continues. ICE has continued to purchase location tracking tools and recently requested information on “Ad Tech” tools for investigations.
Previously, ICE, CBP, and the FBI purchased location data from Venntell, using it to identify and arrest immigrants. ICE even purchased a tool called Webloc, capable of tracking millions of phones and filtering data by advertising IDs. This circumvents the necessitate for a warrant, raising serious Fourth Amendment concerns.
What Can You Do to Protect Your Location Privacy?
While the situation is concerning, individuals aren’t powerless. Here are two key steps you can take:
- Disable your mobile advertising ID: This unique identifier allows data brokers to stitch together information about you from different apps. Instructions for disabling this can be found for iPhone and Android.
- Review app location permissions: Only grant location access to apps that genuinely require it for functionality. Limit permissions to “while using the app” or “approximate location” whenever possible.
For more comprehensive guidance, explore EFF’s guide to protecting yourself from mobile-device based location tracking.
The Path Forward: Tech Company and Legislative Action
The responsibility doesn’t solely lie with individuals. Tech companies and lawmakers must take action to address this systemic issue.
Ad tech companies need to acknowledge their role in enabling warrantless government surveillance. The most effective solution is to stop targeting ads based on detailed behavioral profiles. Alternatively, they can limit the use of precise location data for targeted advertising, focusing on broader location targeting like city-level data. Removing advertising IDs altogether, or disabling them by default, would also significantly reduce tracking.
Legislatively, we need strong federal privacy laws to prevent companies from spying on us and selling our data. A ban on ad targeting based on online behavioral profiles would remove the financial incentive for excessive tracking. Closing the “data broker loophole” – allowing law enforcement to purchase data they would normally need a warrant for – is also crucial. Montana recently passed a law blocking this practice, and the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act recently passed the House, though ultimately stalled in the Senate.
FAQ
Q: What is RTB?
A: Real-Time Bidding is the process by which websites and apps auction off ad space. It exposes your personal information to thousands of companies during the auction process.
Q: Can I completely stop location tracking?
A: It’s difficult to eliminate all tracking, but disabling your advertising ID and carefully managing app permissions significantly reduces your digital footprint.
Q: What is an advertising ID?
A: A unique identifier assigned to your phone by Apple or Google that allows advertisers to track your activity across apps.
Q: What can lawmakers do?
A: Pass strong federal privacy laws, ban behavioral advertising, and close the data broker loophole.
Did you know? Apple’s implementation of “Question App Not to Track” on iOS devices resulted in 96% of U.S. Users opting out of ad tracking.
Online behavioral advertising isn’t just intrusive – it’s a threat to our fundamental rights. The government’s exploitation of this data underscores the urgent need for reform.
Pro Tip: Regularly review the privacy settings on your phone and within your frequently used apps.
What are your thoughts on government access to location data? Share your concerns and ideas in the comments below!
