Policy Brief: Location Data Under Existing Privacy Laws
The Future of Privacy Forum released a new policy brief, Location Data Under Existing Privacy Laws.
Defining and regulating location data in a privacy law can be an elusive challenge. In part, this is due to its ubiquity in our lives: information about how devices and people move through spaces over time is utilized by Wi-Fi networks, smartphones, mobile apps, and a world of emerging screenless technologies, such as wearable fitness devices, scooters, autonomous vehicles, and video analytics. Existing legal and self-regulatory regimes in the United States (and globally) approach location data in a variety of ways that may serve as a model for policymakers.
Read the policy brief to learn about the challenges associated with defining location data, when location data is considered “personal” data, and the specific legal protections for location data in the United States and around the world.