The FTC finalized an order banning Support King, LLC and its CEO from the surveillance business for selling stalkerware apps that secretly collected and shared users' personal data without consent. The order requires them to delete all illegally collected data and notify affected device owners.
The order bans the company and CEO from offering or selling surveillance apps, requires deletion of all illegally collected data, and mandates notification to device owners whose devices were monitored.
In-house legal teams should review all agreements involving surveillance services, mobile applications, or data collection tools—including vendor contracts with app developers, customer agreements for monitoring services, and data processing addendums. Key clauses to scrutinize are those governing user consent for data collection (especially for sensitive data like GPS locations and communications), data retention and deletion protocols, breach notification procedures, and explicit prohibitions against covert or unauthorized data harvesting. Based on this enforcement action, contracts may require amendments to mandate explicit, informed consent for any data collection; incorporate mandatory data deletion upon termination or request; include clear bans on surreptitious monitoring; and establish obligations to notify affected individuals of data compromises or unauthorized access.
Entity
Support King, LLC
Also known as: Support King
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/12/ftc-finalizes-order-banning-stalkerware-provider-spyware-business
ftc bans spyfone ceo surveillance business orders company de
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/09/ftc-bans-spyfone-ceo-surveillance-business-orders-company-delete-all-secretly-stolen-data
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Support King, LLC"
"sold stalkerware apps that allowed purchasers to surreptitiously monitor photos, text messages, web histories, GPS locations, and other personal information on the phone on which the app was installed without the device owner’s knowledge."
The FTC banned Support King, LLC (SpyFone) and its CEO from the surveillance business for secretly harvesting and sharing users' data without consent, and ordered the deletion of all illegally collected data and notification to affected device owners. The company failed to secure the data, leading to a hack that exposed 2,200 consumers.
The FTC filed a complaint alleging that GovAssist LLC, Entry LLC, and Scott Zuckerman used deceptive paid search ads, misleading service and pricing claims, and fake reviews to deceive consumers seeking passport services. The complaint alleges violations of the FTC Act, the Impersonation Rule, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act; the case will be decided by the court, and no penalty or remedy is reported as imposed.
The FTC issued its annual report to Congress describing fraud trends affecting older adults and the agency’s enforcement, education, and outreach efforts. The report is not a specific privacy enforcement action and announces no penalty or remedy.
The FTC referred a complaint against REPS & Company Inc. and company executives, alleging they bypassed ticket-issuer security controls and purchasing limits to acquire millions of tickets for resale. The complaint was filed by the Department of Justice, and the case will be decided by the court; the press release does not report a penalty or other remedy imposed.
$106.8M
A federal court entered a $106.8 million default judgment against corporate defendants in an alleged debt-relief scheme that impersonated banks and government entities and targeted seniors and veterans. The judgment permanently bans the defendants from the debt-relief industry and imposes additional prohibitions, including on impersonation, telemarketing, and misrepresentations.
The FTC sued Digital Forensics Corporation LLC and affiliated defendants, alleging they misled sextortion victims with promises of investigative and monitoring services that often were not provided, and used fake positive reviews. A federal court granted the FTC’s request to temporarily halt the defendants’ activities; the complaint remains for the court to decide.