When you give permission to that app on your phone, or you establish your identity with Apple iCloud, Samsung, LG, and the likes, there are real consequences you might not be aware of. While legislative efforts on data privacy should be directed at prevention,  US lawmakers still tend to wait for the cure time. 

The issue surrounding data privacy with social media giants and American election for the last 4 years is enough to have prompted the congress to act swiftly to protect people from commercial use of people’s personal data, but the ‘t’s on what this looks like are still waiting to get crossed. 

The York City lawmakers are, however, rising up to this matter with a bill introduced in the house yesterday to ban the sales of people’s cell phone location data to marketers. If you think your cell phone carriers are exonerated, think twice. 

This is a welcome news for the community. AfroGist Media got a reaction from an NYC resident, Sami:

“Many people just use their phones and go about their business. Getting sold out by a carrier you are duly paying your bills to is unfair and unacceptable.”

AT&T reportedly was sued by a class action lawsuit last week on charges relating to selling customer data to third parties. Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon were also reportedly found doing the same. If the bill is passed, cell phone users location data within the 5 NYC boroughs will be protected and only accessible by the police for the purpose of solving crime. Well, unless a cell phone user expressly opt in. Proposed penalty for violation ranges between $1000 to $10,000  a day cell phone user. 

If you believe this bill makes sense, reach out to your NYC council member and assert that you support that bill,  and they too should.