Democrats call for investigation into mobile tracking after Roe reversal
US politicians are urging the Federal Trade Commission to examine Apple and Google for collecting and selling customer's personal data without their consent.
US Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass. ), and Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) have signed a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, on the heels of the US Supreme Court's ruling to end constitutional protections for abortion.
The letter alleges that Apple and Google knowingly facilitated the collection and sale of iOS and Android users' personal information by integrating advertising-specific tracking IDs into their mobile OS.
The lawmakers say the FTC should look into the role of these two companies in transforming online advertising into an 'intense system of surveillance,' which incentivises and facilitates the unrestrained collection and sale of Americans' personal data.
"It is beyond time to bring an end to the privacy harms forced on consumers by these companies."
The politicians sent the letter just before the right-leaning Supreme Court declared on Friday that there is no constitutional right to abortion in the United States, reversing the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
The ruling makes the USA one of few countries in the northern hemisphere to place serious restrictions on access to abortion. It is anticipated to result in abortion bans in nearly half of US states, sparking serious concerns about women's health care.
Privacy experts say the ruling could put women at risk, since location information or search history could be used against those who seek abortions or those who offer them in places where abortion is prohibited.
Online searches, fitness trackers, period apps and advice helplines could become rich data sources for such surveillance efforts.
"Data brokers are already selling, licensing and sharing the location information of people that visit abortion providers to anyone with a credit card," the lawmakers said.
They added that in jurisdictions where abortion is outlawed, prosecutors may soon be able to get warrants for location data on everyone who has visited an abortion facility.
"Private actors will also be incentivised by state bounty laws to hunt down women who have obtained or are seeking an abortion by accessing location information through shady data brokers."
While Apple has disabled the tracking identifiers by default, the senators said both firms have hurt customers.
"Both Apple and Google now allow consumers to opt out of this tracking. Until recently, however, Apple enabled this tracking ID by default and required consumers to dig through confusing phone settings to turn it off. Google still enables this tracking identifier by default, and until recently did not even provide consumers with an opt-out."
Google said in a said in a statement that it 'never sells user data, and Google Play strictly prohibits the sale of user data by developers.'
In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to reverse Roe v. Wade, many major tech firms have promised to support and financially aid employees who need abortions in states where the practise is prohibited.
Microsoft, Meta and Apple have all said they will provide assistance, such as the reimbursement of travel costs.
'We intend to offer travel-expense reimbursements, to the extent permitted by law, for employees who will need them to access out-of-state healthcare and reproductive services. We are in the process of assessing how best to do so, given the legal complexities involved,' Meta said.
Microsoft has committed to providing 'travel-expense support for these and other medical services' where an employee's home geographic location has limited access to care.
Under Apple's current benefits package, employees are permitted to travel outside of their state for medical treatment if it is unavailable in their home state.
Numerous financial institutions, such as Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase have also said they would pay for US employees' travel costs for abortions as part of their medical benefits.