The FTC took action against Gravy Analytics Inc. and Venntel Inc. for unlawfully tracking and selling sensitive consumer location data without consent. The proposed consent order prohibits the sale or use of sensitive location data, requires deletion of historic data, and mandates compliance programs. This is part of the FTC's series of actions against data brokers selling sensitive location data.
The companies are banned from selling, licensing, or using sensitive location data except for national security or law enforcement. They must delete all historic location data and inform customers to delete or de-identify it. They must establish a sensitive location data program and a supplier assessment program to ensure consent, and are prohibited from making misrepresentations about their data practices.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor agreements with data brokers or analytics providers, customer agreements involving location-based services, and data processing addendums (DPAs). Focus on clauses governing data sharing, consent requirements, data retention/deletion, and breach notification. Specific changes needed include: (1) explicitly prohibiting the sale, disclosure, or use of 'sensitive location data' (e.g., data tied to healthcare facilities, places of worship, military sites, labor unions); (2) mandating verifiable, opt-in consent for any collection or commercial use of location data; (3) requiring deletion of all historic sensitive location data; and (4) obligating vendors to establish a formal 'sensitive data location program' with internal compliance safeguards.
Entity
Gravy Analytics Inc. and Venntel Inc.
Also known as: Gravy Analytics
Industry
Data BrokerOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/12/ftc-takes-action-against-gravy-analytics-venntel-unlawfully-selling-location-data-tracking-consumers
2123035gravyanalyticsorder
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2123035gravyanalyticsorder.pdf
2123035gravyanalyticscomplaint
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2123035gravyanalyticscomplaint.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Gravy Analytics Inc. and its subsidiary Venntel Inc."
"violated the FTC Act"
"violated the FTC Act by unfairly selling sensitive consumer location data, and by collecting and using consumers’ location data without obtaining verifiable user consent"
The FTC rescinded its 2021 Policy Statement on Breaches by Health Apps and Other Connected Devices, which had purported to apply the Health Breach Notification Rule to health apps and connected devices that collect consumer health information. The rescission follows the Commission's 2024 update to the Health Breach Notification Rule, which already covers health apps and connected devices like fitness trackers, and implements an executive order directing agencies to eliminate obsolete guidance documents. No company was charged or penalized; this is a deregulatory action.
$12.0M
The FTC alleged that payment processor Humboldt Merchant Services knowingly processed payments for more than 1,000 shell merchant entities serving as fronts for fraudulent companies engaged in unauthorized billing scams, despite red flags including chargeback rates nearly 10 times higher than card-brand thresholds. Under the proposed stipulated order filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Humboldt will pay $12 million for consumer redress and is permanently banned from processing payments for merchants with a heightened risk of potential fraud.
$4.8M
The FTC charged Canada-based payment processor Nuvei Corporation and its subsidiaries with knowingly processing payments for fraudulent merchants, including more than $30 million in payments for the Reimage tech support scam from 2017 to 2023, as well as merchants making false earnings claims and impersonating government tax authorities. Under the stipulated order filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, Nuvei will pay $4.85 million for consumer redress, is banned from serving tech support telemarketers, and must implement robust merchant screening and chargeback monitoring practices. Note: this is a payments-fraud facilitation action under the FTC Act and Telemarketing Sales Rule, not a data privacy violation.
The FTC announced a seven-day extension of the public comment period on its proposed enforcement policy statement regarding personalized pricing, pushing the deadline from Sept. 18, 2026 to Sept. 25, 2026. Personalized pricing refers to using personal data to set prices based on what the company believes an individual consumer is willing to spend. This is a procedural announcement about draft agency guidance, not an enforcement action against any company, and no entity was named, no violation found, and no penalty imposed.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined the FTC and 22 state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against Amazon for manipulating the auctions used to set advertising prices, replacing actual auction results with higher prices since 2019 and overcharging nearly 1.2 million U.S. advertising customers. The FTC estimates total improper surcharges from 2018 to 2026 exceed $20 billion, with costs ultimately passed to shoppers through higher prices. The states seek a permanent injunction and monetary relief; no penalty has been imposed yet as this is a newly filed complaint.
$930K
The FTC finalized orders requiring CMG Media Corporation (doing business as Cox Media Group), MindSift LLC, and 1010 Digital Works LLC to pay a total of $930,000 for falsely claiming they offered an AI-powered service that could target ads based on conversations captured from consumers' smart devices, and that consumers had opted into such targeting. The orders also prohibit the companies from making misrepresentations about their advertising services, voice data collection, and consumer consent.