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If everyone already sells our data, then what #shorts #markmoss #tracking #tiktok #freedom #data

If Everyone Already Sells Our Data, Then What? #Shorts #MarkMoss #Tracking #TikTok #Freedom #Data

Our phones and apps already track everything and everybody. From giants like Comcast to governmental entities like the DMV, your personal information is sold routinely. It turns out that the police and anyone else with financial means can buy your movement data readily available from American data brokers.

More concrete evidence of this issue has surfaced recently. Surprisingly, Tim Hortons, a popular coffee chain, was caught secretly tracking its app users. They were found to be collecting vast amounts of sensitive location data, even more extensively than TikTok does. This action was in direct violation of Canadian privacy laws, leading to a class action lawsuit.

To mitigate the backlash from recording user movements every few minutes, even when the app was closed, Tim Hortons offered affected users nothing more than a free coffee and a donut. This incident highlights the extent to which such tracking and data collection is already happening.

Keywords

  • Tracking
  • Data
  • Personal Information
  • Geolocation
  • Data Brokers
  • Tim Hortons
  • Privacy Laws
  • Class Action Lawsuit
  • TikTok
  • Location Data

FAQ

Q: What types of companies track and sell our data? A: Companies ranging from telecom giants like Comcast to governmental bodies like the DMV track and sell our personal information.

Q: Can anyone purchase this data? A: Yes, the police and other entities or individuals with enough financial resources can buy this movement data from American data brokers.

Q: What recent example highlights this issue? A: Tim Hortons was caught secretly tracking their app users, collecting vast amounts of location data in violation of Canadian privacy laws.

Q: How did Tim Hortons respond to being caught? A: The chain offered affected users a free coffee and a donut as compensation for their tracking practices.

Q: Is TikTok the only app engaged in such tracking? A: No, Tim Hortons was found to be tracking its users more extensively than TikTok.

Q: What legal recourse was taken against Tim Hortons? A: They faced a class action lawsuit for violating Canadian privacy laws.

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