Massachusetts could become the first state to outright ban the sale of location data from smartphones. The law would be the first of its kind and the first time any state in the US has attempted to stop what has become a billion dollar industry.
The bill provides a defined scope of purpose in which companies can collect and use a customer's location data. Under the legislation, companies would only be allowed to use location data to provide a product or service that a consumer wants. The new act called, the Location Shield Act states ‘It shall be unlawful for a covered entity to collect or process an individual’s location information except for a permissible purpose’ in Massachusetts.
Will this inspire other states to follow suit?