FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, director confirms | TechCrunch
Summary
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the FBI has resumed purchasing commercially available location data from data brokers to track US citizens without warrants. This marks the first official confirmation since 2023 that the agency is actively buying Americans' location data, which is typically sourced from phone apps and games through the advertising ecosystem.
Key Points
- FBI Director Kash Patel testified that the agency is actively purchasing commercially available location data from data brokers to aid federal investigations
- The FBI claims it doesn't need a warrant to use this commercially purchased data, though this legal theory hasn't been tested in court
- Data brokers source location information from consumer phone apps, games, and real-time bidding services used in mobile advertising, allowing agencies to bypass traditional warrant requirements
Takeaways
- Organizations should audit their mobile app privacy practices and data sharing agreements, as consumer app data is being sold to government agencies without user knowledge
- Security professionals should implement stronger location privacy controls and educate users about disabling location tracking in non-essential apps to reduce surveillance exposure
Topics: privacy,
government surveillance,
data brokers,
location tracking,
fourth amendment