Oregon has become the second state after Maryland to approve legislation prohibiting precise geolocation data sales, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.
Aside from restricting the sale of data displaying individual location within 1,750 feet, Oregon's bill also forbids the trade of data belonging to youths under 16, which is tougher than the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act that suppresses trade of information from those younger than 13. Such a development which comes amid data privacy bill discussions in Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont could encourage passage of similar measures in other states, according to Consumer Reports policy analyst Matt Schwartz. "It shows that lawmakers are taking location privacy very seriously. People are creeped out by having their precise location data tracked and lawmakers will take action to address that," Schwartz added. Additional child data protections have also been approved in Texas, with Gov. Greg Abbott signing into law a bill that requires Google and Apple to implement app store age verification mechanisms.
Aside from restricting the sale of data displaying individual location within 1,750 feet, Oregon's bill also forbids the trade of data belonging to youths under 16, which is tougher than the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act that suppresses trade of information from those younger than 13. Such a development which comes amid data privacy bill discussions in Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont could encourage passage of similar measures in other states, according to Consumer Reports policy analyst Matt Schwartz. "It shows that lawmakers are taking location privacy very seriously. People are creeped out by having their precise location data tracked and lawmakers will take action to address that," Schwartz added. Additional child data protections have also been approved in Texas, with Gov. Greg Abbott signing into law a bill that requires Google and Apple to implement app store age verification mechanisms.
