bread and circus

bread and circus The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Tuesday filed a and proposed against two Virginia-based data brokers alleging that they unlawfully tracked and sold sensitive consumer location data. This data, which included information about visits to health-related facilities and places of worship, was allegedly collected and sold to government and commercial parties without obtaining verifiable user consent in violation of the FTC Act. Once finalized, the order will carry the force of law, and any violations may result in civil penalties of up to $51,744 per infraction. The FTC alleges in its complaint that Virginia-based and its subsidiary, ., “claim to ‘collect, process, and curate’ over 17 billion signals from approximately a billion mobile devices on a daily basis.” The FTC alleges that the two companies “violated the FTC Act by unfairly selling sensitive consumer location data and by collecting and using consumers’ location data without obtaining verifiable user consent for commercial and government uses.” Gravy Analytics’ website says it “respects consumer privacy and ensures that location data collected at sensitive locations is not used, shared, or resold.” The latest action by the FTC marks the commission’s fifth enforcement action targeting data brokers for mishandling sensitive location data. Earlier actions – including two this year – for similar violations involving the sale of data linked to sensitive locations were taken against , , , and Mobilewalla. The latest move by the FTC against Venntel and Gravy Analytics could fuel the fire in Congress over the government’s purchase of consumer information from data brokers. In August, that a bipartisan bill was passed by the House that would ban the government from buying Americans’ personally identifiable information from data brokers and aggregators. The legislation would close the data-broker loophole in the law that allows governments to buy data they would otherwise need a warrant to obtain. The bill was passed in the wake of a of data broker National Public Data that put gigabytes of information on possibly millions of individuals at risk. Lawmakers and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are also concerned about the national security threat that’s posed by third-party data brokers and businesses selling the data that they collect to entities with ties to Russia, Iran, China, and other countries of concern. These data brokers are the primary targets of a DOJ rule that was issued in October that would bar them from selling the data they collect to any entity that has ties to countries identified by DOJ in the rule. DOJ unveiled its final proposed rules in October to carry out President Joe Biden’s February 28 Executive Order, . According to the FTC’s latest complaint, Gravy Analytics continued to use consumers’ location data after learning that consumers did not provide informed consent. Gravy Analytics also unfairly sold sensitive characteristics like health or medical decisions, political activities, and religious viewpoints that were derived from consumers’ location data, the FTC alleges. The FTC’s proposed three-count complaint alleges that the two companies violated Section 5(a) of the FTC Act by unfairly selling sensitive location data and unfairly collecting, using, and transferring consumer location data without consent verification, and that Gravy Analytics violated Section 5 of the FTC Act by unfairly selling inferences about consumers’ sensitive characteristics derived from location data. In July 2022, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) published thousands of pages of about how Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and other agencies of the Department of Homeland Security were “sidestepping the Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable government searches and seizures by buying access to, and using, huge volumes of people’s cell phone location information quietly extracted from smartphone apps” by Venntel and Babel Street. Four years earlier, the Supreme Court had ruled in that the government needs a warrant to access a person’s cellphone location history from cellular service providers because of the “privacies of life” those records can reveal. The ACLU said that “in the documents we received ... we found Venntel marketing materials sent to DHS explaining how the company collects more than 15 billion location points from over 250 million cell phones and other mobile devices every day.” As part of the FTC’s proposed settlement, Gravy Analytics and Venntel would be prohibited from selling, disclosing, or using sensitive location data in any product or service. They would also be required to establish a sensitive location data program to prevent further misuse of such data. FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levine highlighted the broader implications of the companies’ practices, stating that “surreptitious surveillance by data brokers undermines our civil liberties and puts servicemembers, union workers, religious minorities, and others at risk. This is the FTC’s fourth action this year challenging the sale of sensitive location data, and it is past time for the industry to get serious about protecting Americans’ privacy.” “You may not know anything about Gravy Analytics, but Gravy Analytics may know quite a bit about you,” said Commissioner Alvaro M. Bedoya, Chair Lina M. Khan, and Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter in a joint statement. The commissioners allege that Gravy Analytics appended 1,100 labels “to individual consumers so as to sell their bundled data to private companies for targeted advertising — or to better understand the ‘persona’ of any given individual whose data a company has requested. According to our complaint, respondents actively encouraged their customers to identify individual people using the data they sold.” The commissioners said in their statement that the cell phone data could tell when a person had breakfast at McDonald’s, purchased CBD oil, are a Republican or Democrat, bought lingerie, are pregnant, a stay-at-home parent, “a blue-collar Gen X parent” or a “golf-lover who has recently been looking into Medicare.” The complaint says “Venntel tells potential customers that ‘location data makes it possible to gain real-life insight into a device users’ patterns-of-life (POL), locations visited, and known associates.’ Venntel further explains that, over a 90-day tracking of a ‘VIP Device,’ the company was able to identify the device user’s ‘bed down location, work location, and visits to ... United States Government buildings.” “Additionally,” the complaints states, “in a ‘ ’ document for one of its services, Venntel notes that where a device is located during the evening hours will show its customers when the consumer is at ‘home, gym, evening school, etc.’ Indeed, companies and other entities are using precise geolocation data to identify consumers and their activities.” “In one well-publicized example,” the FTC complaints says, “a group used precise mobile geolocation data to identify by name a Catholic priest who visited LGBTQ+-associated locations, thereby exposing the priest’s sexual orientation and forcing him to resign his position. As another example, journalists who purchased precise mobile geolocation from a data broker were able to track consumers over time and, as a result, identify several consumers, including military officials, law enforcement officers, and others. One person the journalists were able to identify by name (and who confirmed her identity) was tracked attending a prayer service at a church.” The FTC alleges that the two Virginia companies have collected more than 17 billion daily location signals from roughly a billion mobile devices. Far from anonymized, the commission said “these signals can be used to identify individual consumers. Gravy Analytics reportedly employed geofencing technology to track users visiting locations tied to sensitive activities, including medical events and religious practices.” The FTC expressed concern over the potential harm to consumers resulting from these practices, including risks of stigma, discrimination, and violence. Sensitive characteristics derived from location data could expose users to various forms of harm, particularly when shared without their knowledge or consent, the FTC said. Under the FTC’s proposed Decision and Order – which has a 30-day public comment period – the companies face strict prohibitions on the sale, transfer, or disclosure of sensitive location data, except in cases involving national security or law enforcement. The two companies would also be required to implement a program to identify and safeguard sensitive locations, including medical facilities, places of worship, schools, correctional facilities, and shelters for vulnerable populations. Additionally, Gravy Analytics and Venntel would be required to delete all historical location data and any products derived from that data unless they can ensure the information is de-identified or rendered non-sensitive. The settlement would also mandate that the companies inform customers who received sensitive location data within the past three years of their obligation to delete or de-identify this data. Furthermore, the companies would have to establish a supplier assessment program to verify consumer consent for the collection and use of precise location data, and would be barred from misrepresenting their data practices, including the extent to which they review compliance with consent frameworks and ensure the de-identification of data. The FTC unanimously voted 5-0 to issue the administrative complaint and to approve the proposed consent agreement. Commissioners Bedoya, Khan, Slaughter, Christine Wilson and Andrew Ferguson issued statements supporting the action, some with additional commentary. The proposed consent order will be published in the for public comment, allowing stakeholders 30 days to submit feedback before the FTC determines whether to finalize the agreement. An will accompany the notice. | | | | | |And today, in his baptism of fire at the Junior World Championship with the United States, the Washington Capitals prospect collected five (!) assists. Lane Hutson has 1g 3a in his first WJC. Cole Hutson has 5a in his first WJC game. — Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) It’s quite crazy, after all. The two brothers also have a fairly similar playing style, according to many. It is important to note that the Canadiens had two opportunities to select before the 43rd pick, which the Capitals eventually used to draft Cole. But I don’t think selecting the other brother with their 21st pick would have been the optimal choice. Even less so with the fifth. Cole Hutson and Lane Hutson look like the exact same player — Jesse Pollock (@jpolly22) Gabe Perreault is Players Of The Game for Team US — David (@DaveyUpper) James Hagens in his WJC debut: — 2 goals — 4 points — 5 shots on goal This tournament could be where he really makes his 1st overall case. — Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) – He already has a Quebec accent. Habs prospect Rasmus Bergqvist on scoring his first goal at the World Juniors today for Team Sweden — /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) – Not an easy trip for the Tricolore. Le motton n’est plus en Floride pour le Canadien — TVA Sports (@TVASports) – Oh really. . says Sweden is the team to watch for the World Juniors. Do you agree ? — HFTV (@HFTVSports) – He’s living the dream. Brayden Yager on NHL stars that reached out to him after being named captain for Canada: — BarDown (@BarDown) – Too bad for the people who had him in their finals. Saison terminée pour CeeDee Lamb — RDS (@RDSca)

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• The newly released House Ethics Committee report alleges that former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz from Florida had “regularly paid women for sex, had sex with an underage girl and used illegal drugs” and “accepted lavish gifts ... in excess of permissible amounts” (“Ethics report: Gaetz often paid for sex, used drugs,” front page, Dec. 24). The committee concluded that Gaetz violated state sexual misconduct laws, including Florida’s statutory rape law, and violated House rules concerning gifts and misuse of his official office. What the article neglected to report was that, out of the 10 members on the bipartisan committee (five Democrats and five Republicans), three of the committee members — all Republicans — tried to block the release of the report. One of them was U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach from Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District. Rep. Fischbach’s cowardice and lack of ethics are both disappointing and not in keeping with Minnesotans’ expectations. I hope the voters of the Seventh Congressional District, regardless of their political affiliation, will remember her actions the next time she attempts to run for office. Rep. Fischbach neither deserves to represent Minnesota, nor serve on an ethics committee at any level. Lynn Strauss, Plymouth ••• It’s important to note — and important for the state’s largest newspaper to note — that Rep. Fischbach voted to keep the Ethics Committee report a secret, thus voting to deny her constituents the information regarding Rep. Gaetz’s sleazy behavior while he was a member of Congress. She should be recalled and replaced by someone who is not so much of an ideologue that they would vote to hide inexcusable behavior by a member of their own political party. Ray Schoch, Minneapolis ••• I find it very distressing to learn that Rep. Fischbach voted to oppose releasing the recent House ethics report on Rep. Gaetz that accused him of misusing state resources, having sex with a minor and using illegal drugs. After hounding Hunter Biden for almost 10 years, and considering that he has always been a private citizen, the Republican Party can’t find the courage to call out one of their own elected officials who is clearly guilty of serious misconduct when party leaders were pushing this person to be the federal government’s chief law enforcement officer? What other crimes or misdeeds are the Republicans covering up? We won’t know because an iron curtain of authoritarianism is descending and we won’t be allowed to know anything about the people in charge. Welcome to post-truth America. Stephen Kriz, Maple Grove A win for small businesses As a small-business owner in Minnesota, I am grateful to our U.S. representatives for supporting legislation that champions the voices of small businesses in federal rule-making. On Dec. 5, HR 7198, the Prove It Act of 2024, passed the House with the support of Reps. Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber. The Prove It Act strengthens protections for small businesses in the Regulatory Flexibility Act, ensuring we have a seat at the table when federal regulators craft regulations. Too often, federal agencies have used loopholes to bypass the input of small businesses, allowing burdensome and costly rules and mandates to be placed on small businesses. Manufacturing is southeast Minnesota’s second-largest industry, with the second-largest payroll in the region. However, federal regulations significantly impact this sector, with small manufacturers (fewer than 50 employees) facing an average regulatory cost of more than $50,000 per employee. This is a significant burden on manufacturing. Having spent 30 years running a small manufacturing company, I know the challenges of navigating new regulations and paperwork, which often takes time away from improvements that benefit my employees, customers and community. I believe the Prove It Act will compel Washington, D.C., to better listen to small-business owners, ensuring our voices are heard and contributions valued. Traci Tapani, Stacy, Minn. The writer is co-president of Wyoming Machine, Inc. Bless you, Dick Schwartz I am pretty sure Dick Schwartz and I are not brothers, but I swear we share the same father (”A Christmastime ‘Love Story,’ " Dec. 24). While mine has been gone for many years now, he too was a man who never had to say he was sorry. I miss him every day, especially at Christmas. Howie Smith, Minneapolis ••• I always know I’m in for a treat when the Strib Voices page features an article from Dick Schwartz. That said, this year’s Christmas Eve article was in a class by itself. Thank you for a beautiful story that brought tears to my eyes. Ronalee Haugen, Champlin ••• With tears in my eyes, I just put the paper down after reading ”A Christmastime ‘Love Story.’ " My mind went back to 44 years ago when my 51-year-old father was recuperating from a heart attack at St. Mary’s Hospital on the University of Minnesota campus. At the time, I was a student at the U and stopped in to visit him. I had a problem that I shared with him. His reply came back in one sentence, and one sentence only. I smiled and told him, ”Dad, you can say more to me in one sentence than others could say in a lifetime, and I know you understand.” Those were the last words I spoke to him. He died two days later — the day he was to come home. Thank you, Dick Schwartz, for bringing a special memory of my dad back to me Christmas Eve morning. And for sharing your story. You made your point without saying it. Gretchen Olmscheid, Minneapolis ••• 2024 marks the 50th year that Dick Schwartz and I have been good friends. I would like to thank the Strib Voices staff members that have made the repeated decision through the years to publish what I like to refer to as Dick’s “life vignettes” on the Strib Voices page. I have read every one of them including his latest, “A Christmastime ‘Love Story.’ " Throughout our years of friendship I’ve felt that I knew him well, but with each published article I learn something new about the life of this remarkable man. Alan Petri, Apple Valley ••• Dick Schwartz did it again. Tears reading his “A Christmastime ‘Love Story’ " column. His columns are priceless. Thank you. Helen Lifson, Minnetonka Poor choices no surprise Donald Trump predictably is demonstrating a lot of pre-inaugural bad judgment. He and Elon Musk stepped in it with their budget meddling. Several of Trump’s cabinet nominees, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., face intense scrutiny over their behavior and qualifications. How is Gaetz looking now? And once again Trump is showing his foreign policy chops. He is threatening to take back the Panama Canal and again insisting that the United States must purchase Greenland (”From Panama to Canada, Trump again angers allies,” Dec. 24). How does our famous real estate con man plan to close these deals? Will he impose economic sanctions on Panama, Denmark and Greenland? If they don’t cooperate, will he send in the troops? Some will dismiss this as Trump just being a bloviating bully. But remember that he represents us on the international stage. Our allies and adversaries view Trump with equal disdain. The former see him as a threat and the latter view him as a useful idiot. Trump shows us who he is every day. No one, especially Republican sycophants, can act surprised when the clown car crashes again and again and again. Phil George, Lakeville

None5 points in a match at the CMJ: Cole Hutson shatters Lane’s standardsCarlos Ghosn, the former head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, has some thoughts on the proposed new partnership between Honda, Nissan, and possibly Mitsubishi. Not surprisingly, Ghosn is not feeling all that friendly toward Nissan these days, after it conspired with the Japanese government to throw him in jail. Those sorts of things could sour any relationship. This week, he had a conversation with Bloomberg ’s Manus Cranny to discuss what he sees as the future of the Japanese auto industry. As someone intimately familiar with the companies involved, his thoughts make for interesting reading. Q. Is this a pragmatic deal, or a desperate roll of the dice? A. It’s a desperate move. It’s not a pragmatic deal because frankly the synergies between the two companies are difficult to find. They’re in the same markets, they have the same products, the brands are very, very similar. From one side, Nissan, it’s a desperate move to try to find a future. And from the other side, Honda — if I understand well, they were not very excited about this move, but you know, you have to count with METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry) in Japan. They’re trying to figure out something that could marry the short term problems of Nissan and the long term vision of Honda. Q. Are politics behind this deal then, rather than value? A. Without any doubt. From all the data that I’ve received about the performance of Nissan — which has been miserable at least for the last two to three years — they have cash problems, investment problems, they’re being really hammered in the US, they’ve practically got out of Europe, they’re being challenged in China, and there is no plan in front of it. There is panic mode inside Nissan. There are several more questions and answers in the article , some fascinating ones. I encourage you to read it. One word that fits Carlos Ghosn to a T is “pragmatic.” He’s a no bullshit kind of guy who is often quite grating in his relationships with others. He tells it like it is. CleanTechnica reported recently on how the Japanese car companies — especially Nissan — are getting pummeled by Chinese competitors, both in China and throughout Southeast Asia where once they dominates those markets. For its part, Honda — which makes world class cars — has lacked a clear vision about how it expects to handle the transition to electric cars that is happening around the world. In North America, it cozied up to General Motors for the hot selling Prologue electric SUV , then severed the relationship. It has made noises about building a new EV base of operations in Canada , but now says it will build its future electric cars in Ohio. Ghosn talked about Honda’s engineering prowess. It was the first Japanese company to build engines for Formula One, and even though its involvement with the sport has waxed and waned over the years, the engine it designed is still the heart of the Red Bull powertrain. Whether its engineers will mesh with those from Nissan is a valid question. There is also the suggestion in what Ghosn told Bloomberg that the Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi collaboration may be more of a shotgun wedding promoted by METI for political reasons than something Honda is all that excited about. Ghost is also a student of the global auto industry. One could gather from his remarks that the US auto industry — which basically ignores most markets outside of North America — is heading into the same blind alley he sees Japan going down. America makes ginormous vehicles — always has — while much of the market in other countries is focused on smaller, more efficient, and less costly vehicles. Among US companies, only Tesla is truly international in scope. Ghosn notes that automakers need to be global, and those that can’t compete globally will get eaten up. He doesn’t see them dying, but instead sees their weak, low-valued brands being bought out by bigger, more functional companies. He suggests Foxconn could buy Nissan, for example. They’re not going to be the only one to try to do that, he adds. Instead of building something from scratch, you can take control of an existing car manufacturer at a relatively cheap price, get rid of everything you don’t need, and really concentrate on what’s important. I’m expecting a lot of moves like this in the future, particularly for the weaklings of the car industry. The unspoken part of the conversation Carlos Ghosn had with Bloomberg is how much support national governments will be willing to give their domestic auto manufacturers to counter the challenge from China. Most of us remember how GM promised the Obama administration it would use government bailout money to build smaller, more efficient cars, only to take those cars out of production almost as soon as Uncle Sugar’s check cleared to concentrate on bigger trucks and SUVs. Many see the US auto industry sailing into troubled waters again and wonder if the government will remember how it got flimflammed the last time? As a corollary to that discussion, Bloomberg this week also mentioned Bernie Moreno, a successful auto dealer from Ohio who will be headed to Washington soon to take his seat in the Senate. Moreno wants to carve out a major role for himself shaping automotive policy during a second Trump term, Bloomberg says. One of the items on his agenda is agitating for Stellantis to divest itself from the Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler brands, which he believes have been grossly mismanaged by European interests and belong back in American hands. “They’ve been a terrible steward of the brands,” Moreno said. “I’m hoping that John Elkann does the right thing and spins off Chrysler Corporation and puts its back in American ownership.” That’s maybe a good idea, but if it happens, it will isolate the US auto industry even further from the global auto market and cut off the only access those brands currently have to the technology they need to navigate the transition to electric vehicles. America, it seems, is well on its way to being an island in the international sea of commerce, content to offer nothing the world community wants to buy other than oil and LNG. Whether that is a wise long-term plan for a country that was once the powerhouse of international trade is yet to be determined. We wonder what Carlos Ghosn would have to say about that? CleanTechnica's Comment Policy LinkedIn WhatsApp Facebook Bluesky Email Reddit

WEST READING, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 3, 2024-- Customers Bank, the over $21 billion asset subsidiary of Customers Bancorp (NYSE:CUBI), has been named to the Inc . 2024 Best in Business list in the Financial Services category. Inc.’s annual Best in Business Awards celebrate the exceptional achievements and contributions of companies that have made a profound impact on their industries and on society at large. The Bank’s industry-leading franchise growth over the last 18 months, in both deposits and market expansion, unique operating model and commitment to principles of sound risk management ensured it stood out among its peers. “We are honored to be named to Inc.’s Best in Business list. Founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, Customers Bank delivers the product suite of larger financial institutions with a level of service beyond what large banks can offer,” said Sam Sidhu, president and CEO of Customers Bank. “With ‘customer’ in our name and at the very heart of why we exist, we adhere to a unique operating model that is anchored around a single point of contact, a focused product offering and a culture of exceptional customer service.” Inc.’s Best in Business list recognizes companies that, through exceptional execution, have achieved significant milestones and core business wins, like customer expansion, key product launches, increased market share, and industry-defining accomplishments. Companies from a wide range of industries – such as technology, health care, finance, and retail – have been recognized for their success and their positive influence on the business world. The full list can be found on Inc. com and in the upcoming winter print edition of Inc. magazine. “For over 40 years Inc. has been committed to recognizing America’s most dynamic businesses and honoring the great work they do. These businesses have had a profound impact on their industries, solving important problems, and shaping the future of business in ways that will have lasting effects,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Mike Hofman. Inc.’s Best in Business Awards are open to companies of all sizes and types, in all industries and locations. Public, private, nonprofit, subsidiary, U.S.-based, and international companies are all encouraged to apply. Inc. editors and reporters hand-review every application and select Best in Business honorees that, in each of the award categories, have had an outstanding influence on their communities, their industries, the environment, or society as a whole. For more information or to see the complete list, please visit inc.com/best-in-business . About Customers Bank Customers Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE:CUBI) is one of the nation’s top-performing banking companies with over $21 billion in assets, making it one of the 80 largest bank holding companies in the U.S. Customers Bank’s commercial and consumer clients benefit from a full suite of technology-enabled tailored product experiences delivered by best-in-class customer service distinguished by a Single Point of Contact approach. In addition to traditional lines such as C&I lending, commercial real estate lending and multifamily lending, Customers Bank also provides a number of national corporate banking services to specialized lending clients. Major accolades include: A member of the Federal Reserve System with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Customers Bank is an equal opportunity lender. Learn more: www.customersbank.com . About Inc. Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of our community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.'s award-winning work achieves a monthly brand footprint of more than 40 million across a variety of channels, including events, digital, print, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since its launch as the Inc. 100 in 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The recognition that comes with inclusion on this and other prestigious Inc. lists, such as Female Founders and Power Partners, gives the founders of top businesses the opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. For more information, visit www.inc.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241203333765/en/ CONTACT: Jordan Baucum VP, Corporate Communications jbaucum@customersbank.com KEYWORD: PENNSYLVANIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Customers Bancorp, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/03/2024 04:30 PM/DISC: 12/03/2024 04:30 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241203333765/enCustomers Bank Named to Inc.’s 2024 Best in Business List in Financial Services Category