Lawsuit Accuses Amazon of Secretly Tracking Consumers Through Cellphones

Key Points:

• Amazon is facing a class action lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court, accusing the company of secretly tracking consumers’ movements and selling the collected data.
• The lawsuit claims Amazon used its Amazon Ads SDK code to allow app developers to collect geolocation data from users’ phones without their consent, revealing sensitive information such as religious affiliations, sexual orientations, and health concerns.
• The complaint is led by Felix Kolotinsky, a California resident, who alleges that Amazon collected his personal data through the Speedtest by Ookla app.
• The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages for millions of affected California consumers. The lawsuit cites violations of California state law related to unauthorized computer access and penal law.

Broader Implications:

• The case highlights growing concerns about companies profiting from user data without proper consent, a trend that has sparked multiple lawsuits and regulatory inquiries in recent years.
• The lawsuit comes amid other similar cases, such as a recent suit filed by Texas against Allstate for tracking drivers through cellphones.