The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reached a settlement to ban Kochava, a major data broker, from selling Americans’ precise location data. Kochava collected location information from millions of mobile devices and sold it to advertisers and other buyers — without people’s knowledge or consent. The data was detailed enough to reveal visits to reproductive health clinics, addiction treatment centers, places of worship, and domestic violence shelters.
This is genuinely good news for everyday users. The settlement means Kochava must stop selling this type of sensitive location information and must delete the data it has already collected. It is part of a broader effort by US regulators to crack down on companies that profit from tracking where you go without your permission.
How to check if you’re affected
Affected devices include any smartphones — iPhone or Android — where apps have been granted location access. Kochava gathered data through code embedded in thousands of everyday apps, so you may have been tracked without realising it.
- Review app location permissions (iPhone): Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services. Turn off location for any app that does not genuinely need it.
- Review app location permissions (Android): Go to Settings → Location → App permissions. Switch non-essential apps to “Only while using” or “Deny”.
- Opt out of ad tracking (iPhone): Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → turn off “Allow Apps to Request to Track”.
- Opt out of ad tracking (Android): Go to Settings → Google → Ads → Delete advertising ID.
No immediate action is required — the ban protects you going forward — but tightening location permissions is always a good habit.