Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against insurance company Allstate and its subsidiary Arity, alleging that they collected and sold location data from over 45 million Americans without their consent. The lawsuit claims that Arity embedded tracking software in mobile apps, including popular apps like GasBuddy and Life360, to collect trillions of miles of driving data.
The data was allegedly sold to insurance companies, including Allstate, in violation of the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation and a court order requiring Allstate and Arity to delete the improperly obtained data.
The Texas Attorney General’s office is part of a broader initiative to enforce data privacy laws and protect consumers from unauthorized data exploitation. This lawsuit follows previous actions against other companies for similar violations.
Location data is considered sensitive information because it reveals where you are, where you’ve been, and aspects of who you are. The misuse or leakage of location data can have significant implications for both privacy and cybersecurity.
The story your location data tells may reveal intimate details about your life, including health conditions, religious affiliations, and political views. When this data is tracked over time, it becomes a powerful tool for profiling individuals, which can pose risks such as stalking, identity theft, or unwarranted surveillance.
In the digital forensics field, location data plays a crucial role in lifestyle analysis, where patterns of movement and behavior are used to profile individuals. Misuse or leakage of location data poses significant privacy and cybersecurity risks.
The case highlights the importance of obtaining clear consent from consumers before collecting or sharing their personal data. It also underscores the need for companies to prioritize data protection and transparency in their practices.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/larsdaniel/2025/01/13/45-million-phones-tracked-without-consent-says-lawsuit