House Commerce GOP Leaders Probe LocationSmart, Securus Cellphone Location Data Disclosures

House Commerce Committee Republican leaders sought information Wednesday from LocationSmart, Securus and 3Cinteractive on unauthorized disclosure of wireless subscribers' real-time location data. The FCC is investigating LocationSmart amid concerns from Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. (see 1805110062). “It is our understanding that wireless carriers have policies providing for authorized use of location data by location aggregators in certain situations,” said Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., and other GOP leaders, in letters to 3Cinteractive CEO John Duffy, Securus CEO Robert Pickens and LocationSmart CEO Mario Proietti. “However, in this instance, providing location information to correctional officers at prison facilities appears to have violated some or all of the wireless providers' policies relating to use of geolocation data.” House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., House Commerce Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Gregg Harper, R-Miss., and House Digital Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, also signed. The lawmakers sought information on the relationship among the three entities, their use of the geolocation data and what forms of consent they obtain from a mobile device's owner or user. The companies didn't comment. House Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., urged the committee in May to hold such a hearing (see 1805240073). House Communications members also referenced the issue during a hearing last week on customer proprietary network information (see 1807110061).