Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
States Tighten Rules On Location Data
Coverage from Bloomberg Law News, IAPP.org, and others
Articles
3
Latest Article
02/13
Active Days
92
Executive Summary
States are banning precise geolocation sales and widening privacy rules as lawmakers and regulators target misuse, retention, and reidentification risks
- Maryland and Oregon already ban the sale of precise geolocation data
- Virginia passed a Senate bill to prohibit precise geolocation sales
- At least six states without comprehensive privacy laws have introduced similar bills
- Consumer Reports proposed model rules with stricter retention limits and a private right of action
- Advertising and data broker groups oppose broad bans on location data sales
- California regulators opened a sweep into the location data industry under privacy law
- Vehicle and mobility data uses include navigation, safety, insurance, and fleet management
Quick Facts
- What: They are tightening rules on precise geolocation data
- Where: Across multiple US states including Maryland Oregon and Virginia
- Why: To reduce misuse retention and reidentification risks
- Who: State lawmakers regulators industry groups and privacy advocates
- When: In 2024 and continuing into 2025
Coverage Timeline: 92 Days
Featured Article
Privacy experts warn that state laws and the ADPPA draft classifying precise location as sensitive could block pseudonymous mobility analytics used in city planning and safety in the United States.
Additional Articles
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State lawmakers in Maryland, Oregon and Virginia moved in 2024 to ban the sale of precise geolocation data amid national privacy law updates and enforcement activity in California and Texas.
Automakers, data brokers, insurers, and law enforcement collect vehicle geolocation data to support navigation, safety, and enforcement in the United States and other jurisdictions during the 2010s to 2020s.