NYC To Consider Bill To Ban Sale Of Cellphone Location Data

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York's City Council will consider a bill to ban the sale of cellphone users' location data to marketers.

The New York Times reports that the bill to be introduced Tuesday would make it illegal for cellphone companies and app developers to share location data with third parties while a customer's mobile device is within city limits.

Telecommunications companies make billions of dollars a year selling customer location data to a variety of businesses. Mark Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, says the collection of location data "raises far-reaching privacy concerns."

No federal law specifically protects cellphone customers' location data. Democratic City Council member Justin Brannan says on Twitter that if Washington won't ban this "dangerous breach of privacy," New York City will lead the way.