Massachusetts Passes Landmark Privacy Bill: Ban on Sale of Precise Location Data
Massachusetts lawmakers have voted to pass a new privacy rights bill, giving residents control over their data and banning the sale of precise location information.
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Massachusetts has taken a significant step in protecting its citizens' digital privacy with the unanimous passage of a landmark Consumer Data Privacy Act. The bill grants residents unprecedented rights over their personal data held by tech giants while prohibiting companies from selling users’ precise location data.
The Massachusetts House recently voted 146-0 in favor of the Consumer Data Privacy Act, following its earlier approval by all 40 Senate lawmakers in September. Once combined and sent to Governor Charlie Baker’s office for signature, this legislation is expected to become law soon. This move solidifies Massachusetts as a leader in consumer privacy rights, joining other states that have implemented their own patchwork of privacy regulations.
The new bill will apply to companies handling or processing data from more than 100,000 consumers, affecting both startups and major tech giants like Apple and Google. It prohibits the sharing or selling of sensitive information without explicit consent from users. This includes biometric data (health, genetic info, fingerprints), precise geolocation details, and markers related to religion, immigration status, and sexual orientation.
The ban on location data sales is a critical component of this legislation. For years, data brokers have relied on app developers selling their users’ locations to repackage it for sale to anyone willing to pay. This includes entities such as stalkers, governments, and militaries. Without a warrant, the government can purchase such data from these brokers.
Massachusetts’s new law will effectively blanket-ban location data sales across the state, impacting startups that collect and sell this information. It also targets advertising companies using location data to tailor ad content to users.
The bipartisan effort in Massachusetts demonstrates a shared belief that privacy is a fundamental right for residents. The bill was widely praised by privacy advocates such as Evan Greer from Fight For the Future, who called it a “major step toward cracking down on Big Tech’s surveillance abuses.” Similarly, the ACLU lauded the legislation as positioning Massachusetts as a leader in personal privacy and curbing digital surveillance.
