Electronic Frontier Foundation report finds advertising software can expose users’ location data
A report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) warns that some advertising software tools used in mobile apps can automatically share users’ location data with systems connected to data brokers, often without clear user awareness or meaningful consent.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has published a report examining how advertising software development kits (SDKs) used in mobile applications can contribute to the collection and sharing of users’ location information.
SDKs are tools that developers add to apps to provide additional features, such as advertising services. According to EFF, some advertising SDKs can collect and transfer location data when users have granted an app permission to access their location, creating potential privacy risks.
EFF researchers reviewed public documentation from dozens of advertising SDK providers and identified four SDKs – InMobi, BidMachine, Verve’s HyBid, and Huawei’s Petal Ads – that collect and share location information by default for advertising purposes when location permissions are enabled.
The organisation said the issue is not limited to these four SDKs, noting that other advertising tools have also faced criticism and legal challenges related to location data collection practices.
EFF argued that unclear settings, financial incentives and limited transparency can lead developers to share location data without fully understanding how it may be used. The organisation warned that location information collected through advertising systems has previously been used for purposes beyond advertising, including investigations, tracking individuals and monitoring groups.
The report encourages app developers to carefully review the privacy practices of third-party tools integrated into their applications and calls for stronger protections to prevent unnecessary sharing of sensitive location information.
