Amazon is facing serious allegations of illegally collecting and selling consumer geolocation data, as a California resident, Felix Kolotinsky, has filed a class-action lawsuit against the tech giant. The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District Court of California on Wednesday, claims that Amazon covertly tracks users’ location through its Amazon Ads SDK (Software Development Kit), which is embedded in various third-party apps.
Kolotinsky alleges that Amazon gains unauthorized access to users’ devices, collecting personal data without their knowledge or consent. He further claims that Amazon profits from this data by selling access to brands and advertisers.
How Amazon Allegedly Tracks Users Without Consent
According to the lawsuit, Amazon’s Ads SDK is secretly integrated into multiple mobile applications, including popular apps like NewsBreak and Speedtest by Ookla. Users, unaware of this integration, inadvertently allow Amazon to access and store sensitive location information.
Kolotinsky, who used the Speedtest by Ookla app, claims that he unknowingly exposed himself to Amazon’s data collection practices. The lawsuit highlights that Amazon collects timestamped latitude and longitude geolocation data, allowing the company to precisely track a user’s movements and identity.
A study from MIT cited in the lawsuit reveals that just a few data points related to a person’s location are enough to accurately identify an individual. Kolotinsky argues that Amazon has exploited this data to fingerprint users and build detailed consumer profiles, violating privacy rights.
Millions of Users Affected? Kolotinsky Proposes Class Action
The lawsuit proposes forming a class-action group consisting of all California residents who have used apps containing Amazon’s Ads SDK without clear disclosure in privacy policies or app agreements. If the court certifies the class, millions of consumers could be eligible for legal compensation.
Kolotinsky accuses Amazon of violating:
- California Penal Code, which prohibits unauthorized access to consumer data
- California’s Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act, which protects digital privacy rights
He is seeking $5,000 per violation and additional damages. The lawsuit also calls for:
- Amazon to be legally barred from continuing this practice
- Amazon to admit it violated California privacy laws
- Kolotinsky to be appointed as the lead plaintiff in the class-action case
Amazon’s Silence and the Growing Trend of Data Privacy Lawsuits
Amazon has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the allegations. However, similar cases have emerged across the United States, with regulators like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stepping in to take action against companies engaging in unauthorized data collection.
Last year, the FTC investigated and filed lawsuits against companies including Mobilewalla, Gravy, InMarket, and X-Mode for improper geolocation data collection. The legal actions resulted in bans on selling sensitive consumer location data, setting a strong precedent for cases like Kolotinsky’s lawsuit against Amazon.
What’s Next for the Lawsuit?
Legal experts suggest that if the judge certifies the class-action lawsuit, Amazon could face significant financial penalties and regulatory scrutiny. Given past FTC rulings on similar cases, Amazon may be pressured to settle or change its data collection policies to avoid further legal action.
As consumer awareness of digital privacy grows, lawsuits like these could encourage stricter regulations on data collection practices. With potential millions of users affected, this case could be one of the biggest data privacy legal battles Amazon has faced so far.
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