EPIC Testifies in Support of Oregon Bill Banning Sale of Location Data

EPIC Deputy Director Caitriona Fitzgerald testified this week before the Oregon Senate Committee on the Judiciary in support of HB2008, which would update the Oregon Data Privacy Law to ban the sale of precise geolocation data and the data of minors.

EPIC rebutted claims made by the Association of National Advertisers, including that such a ban would impede the use of location data for AMBER Alerts and weather alerts. According to FEMA’s website, location data is not used for such alerts, but rather “broadcast from area cell towers to mobile phones within the defined geographic location.” The Advertisers’ other claims similarly do not stand up to scrutiny.

EPIC highlighted that the sale of precise geolocation data and minors data constitute some of the worst data abuse harms happening today, and urged the Committee to support the bill.