Amazon.com was sued on Wednesday by consumers who accused the company of secretly tracking their movements through mobile phones and selling the collected data.
The proposed class action, filed in San Francisco federal court, claims Amazon gained “backdoor access” to consumer phones by embedding its Amazon Ads SDK code in apps used by tens of thousands of developers.
The lawsuit alleges Amazon collected extensive timestamped geolocation data, revealing sensitive personal details such as religious affiliations, sexual orientations, and health concerns. According to the complaint, Amazon “fingerprinted” consumers, linking vast amounts of personal data without their knowledge or consent.
Felix Kolotinsky of San Mateo, California, filed the lawsuit, claiming Amazon collected his data through the “Speedtest by Ookla” app. The complaint accuses Amazon of violating California’s penal law and state laws on unauthorized computer access, seeking unspecified damages for millions of Californians.
Concerns over unauthorized data collection continue to grow among individuals and regulators. On Jan. 13, Texas sued Allstate for allegedly tracking drivers through cellphones, using the data to adjust premiums and sell information to insurers. Allstate denied wrongdoing, stating its data collection complies with all laws, while at least eight similar lawsuits have since been filed against the insurer.
