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Companies Want Your Location Data. Recent Examples: The Weather Channel And Burger King

Weather Channel logo It is easy to find examples where companies use mobile apps to collect consumers' real-time GPS location data, so they can archive and resell that information later for additional profits. First, ExpressVPN reported:

"The city of Los Angeles is suing the Weather Company, a subsidiary of IBM, for secretly mining and selling user location data with the extremely popular Weather Channel App. Stating that the app unfairly manipulates users into enabling their location settings for more accurate weather reports, the lawsuit affirms that the app collects and then sells this data to third-party companies... Citing a recent investigation by The New York Times that revealed more than 75 companies silently collecting location data (if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth a read), the lawsuit is basing its case on California’s Unfair Competition Law... the California Consumer Privacy Act, which is set to go into effect in 2020, would make it harder for companies to blindly profit off customer data... This lawsuit hopes to fine the Weather Company up to $2,500 for each violation of the Unfair Competition Law. With more than 200 million downloads and a reported 45+ million users..."

Long-term readers remember that a data breach in 2007 at IBM Inc. prompted this blog. It's not only internet service providers which collect consumers' location data. Advertisers, retailers, and data brokers want it, too.

Burger King logo Second, Burger King ran last month a national "Whopper Detour" promotion which offered customers a once-cent Whopper burger if they went near a competitor's store. News 5, the ABC News affiliate in Cleveland, reported:

"If you download the Burger King mobile app and drive to a McDonald’s store, you can get the penny burger until December 12, 2018, according to the fast-food chain. You must be within 600 feet of a McDonald's to claim your discount, and no, McDonald's will not serve you a Whopper — you'll have to order the sandwich in the Burger King app, then head to the nearest participating Burger King location to pick it up. More information about the deal can be found on the app on Apple and Android devices."

Next, the relevant portions from Burger King's privacy policy for its mobile apps (emphasis added):

"We collect information you give us when you use the Services. For example, when you visit one of our restaurants, visit one of our websites or use one of our Services, create an account with us, buy a stored-value card in-restaurant or online, participate in a survey or promotion, or take advantage of our in-restaurant Wi-Fi service, we may ask for information such as your name, e-mail address, year of birth, gender, street address, or mobile phone number so that we can provide Services to you. We may collect payment information, such as your credit card number, security code and expiration date... We also may collect information about the products you buy, including where and how frequently you buy them... we may collect information about your use of the Services. For example, we may collect: 1) Device information - such as your hardware model, IP address, other unique device identifiers, operating system version, and settings of the device you use to access the Services; 2) Usage information - such as information about the Services you use, the time and duration of your use of the Services and other information about your interaction with content offered through a Service, and any information stored in cookies and similar technologies that we have set on your device; and 3) Location information - such as your computer’s IP address, your mobile device’s GPS signal or information about nearby WiFi access points and cell towers that may be transmitted to us..."

So, for the low, low price of one hamburger, participants in this promotion gave RBI, the parent company which owns Burger King, perpetual access to their real-time location data. And, since RBI knows when, where, and how long its customers visit competitors' fast-food stores, it also knows similar details about everywhere else you go -- including school, work, doctors, hospitals, and more. Sweet deal for RBI. A poor deal for consumers.

Expect to see more corporate promotions like this, which privacy advocates call "surveillance capitalism."

Consumers' real-time location data is very valuable. Don't give it away for free. If you decide to share it, demand a fair, ongoing payment in exchange. Read privacy and terms-of-use policies before downloading mobile apps, so you don't get abused or taken. Opinions? Thoughts?

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