Location tracking apps face growing privacy lawsuit scrutiny from federal regulators, state enforcers, and drivers. Federal and state cases now target precise location sales, hidden app trackers, and connected-car data sharing. Precise location data means GPS-level records that can show where a phone or car goes. A data broker buys and sells that information from apps, cars, and other sources.
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Table of Contents
- What has the FTC already restricted?
- Why are Allstate and Arity facing driver lawsuits?
- How did connected cars draw the same scrutiny?
- What limits should readers understand?
- What can drivers and app users do now?
What has the FTC already restricted?
The FTC brought December 2024 actions against Gravy Analytics with Venntel and against Mobilewalla over sensitive location data. Infosecurity Magazine reports the orders, finalized January 14, 2025, ban collecting, using, or selling sensitive location revealing health-facility, military-base, and worship visits. They also require deletion of historic data and programs that block sensitive locations.
A later proposal would impose a consent rule on Kochava and subsidiary Collective Data Solutions. HIPAA Journal describes the proposed bar on Kochava sensitive-location sales as resolving the FTC's August 2022 suit alleging data from hundreds of millions of devices could trace visits to clinics and churches. The proposal would prohibit selling or sharing sensitive precise location data without affirmative express consent.
Why are Allstate and Arity facing driver lawsuits?
The Office of the Texas Attorney General says Allstate and subsidiary Arity secretly embedded tracking software in apps including Life360. The state alleges in its January 2025 lawsuit against Allstate and Arity that the software harvested trillions of miles of movement data from over 45 million Americans to build a driving-behavior database for insurers.
A separate driver class-action fight is also moving forward. Gadget Review reports on the March 2026 ruling allowing Allstate driver-tracking claims to proceed, in which a federal judge in Chicago let 15 consolidated cases continue on wiretap and related claims. The drivers allege an Arity software kit in GasBuddy, Fuel Rewards, Life360, and Routely tracked location, speed, braking, and phone use without proper consent.
How did connected cars draw the same scrutiny?
The FTC's January 2026 order with General Motors and OnStar addresses vehicle and driving-behavior data. BleepingComputer describes the five-year ban on GM driver-data sales as barring sharing of geolocation and driver-behavior data with consumer reporting agencies.
The agency found millions of vehicles were tracked every three seconds through Smart Driver without consent. It also found the data was sold on to insurers.
What limits should readers understand?
The Kochava and GM restrictions are limited in scope and time, according to HIPAA Journal and BleepingComputer. Kochava's May 2026 terms were filed as a proposed stipulated order that still needs a federal judge's approval.
GM's sharing ban lasts five years and preserves exceptions, including emergency services. Parallel broker orders also preserve national-security and law-enforcement uses.
What can drivers and app users do now?
You can reduce exposure by limiting precise-location access and using new vehicle-data rights. BleepingComputer and Infosecurity Magazine point to the same practical steps under the FTC orders. Check location permissions in each driving, fuel, family-safety, and car-brand app before your next trip.
- Deny precise-location permission to apps that do not need navigation
- Ask the automaker or data holder to show what vehicle-location data it holds
- Request deletion of vehicle-location data and opt out of further collection
- Withhold affirmative express consent before any sensitive-location sale