Virginia Bans Sale of Precise Geolocation Data

Virginia has officially enacted a ban on the sale of precise geolocation data, a significant move that could signal a broader trend against the unfettered trade of sensitive personal information. The new legislation, reported by The Record by Recorded Future, prohibits data brokers from selling geolocation data that can pinpoint a user’s location within a 1,750-foot radius.

This buffer zone is crucial. According to The Record by Recorded Future, it’s designed to prevent data brokers from accurately identifying where individuals live, work, worship, shop, or travel. This legislation aims to curb the ability of data brokers to create highly detailed and potentially invasive profiles based on granular location tracking.

The Record by Recorded Future notes that momentum is building for similar prohibitions across other jurisdictions, suggesting that Virginia’s move might be the first of many legislative efforts to rein in the privacy implications of location data monetization.