A report shared by The Markup states that Life360 has been selling precise location data to tens of millions of users.
There are two versions of Life360, one for the iPad and one for the phone, both of which are meant to allow family members to keep an eye on one another.
The software is used by 33 million people around the world, and according to reports, Life360 is selling location data from both children and adults to a dozen data brokers that then give the data to other third parties. Two former employees of Life360 expressed concern about how the data is used and the lack of safeguards to prevent misuse, which they said is one of the largest sources of data in the industry.
The employees said that there is no way that location histories can be traced back to individuals. The most obvious user identifying information is removed, but Life360 doesn't aggregate data or reduce precision to preserve privacy.
Chris Hulls told The Markup that data is an important part of the business model that allows Life360's core services to be offered for free.
Chris Hulls, founder and CEO of Life360, said in an email that they have no means to confirm or deny the accuracy of the data they provide. Data is an important part of our business model that allows us to keep the core Life360 services free for the majority of our users, including features that have improved driver safety and saved numerous lives.
One of the most valuable offerings of X-Mode was the raw location data received from Life360, according to an engineer who worked for the company. Life360 has sold location data to other services. Some of the data sharing in its privacy policy is disclosed, but there are companies that are not.
When partners request transparency, data partners are only publicly disclosed. He confirmed that X-Mode buys data from Life360 and that it is one of approximately one dozen data partners. Legislation that would require public disclosure of such partners is supportive of the company.
Some data providers only use aggregated location information. Users aggregated data to track mobility trends with the CDC. The CDC and the U.S. Department of Defense have received the Life360 data.
People may not be aware of how data is distributed after it's provided to data brokers, even though Life360 makes it clear in the fine print of its privacy policy. "Families probably wouldn't like the slogan, 'You can watch where your kids are, and so can anyone who buys this information,'" Duke Tech Policy Lab fellow Justin Sherman told The Markup. Some users may not be aware of the opt-out feature.
The Life360 app has raised privacy concerns because it is used by parents to track their children and teenagers. The location data of users under 13 is not shared with Life360, but it is shared with children over 13 and adults.
The acquisition of Tile is worth $205 million, and the company makes trackers that compete with Apple's AirTags. The privacy concerns raised in today's report are alarming, given the claim that Tile will allow it to provide an "all-rounded solution" for locating pets, people, and things.
There is more information on how the data is used in the full report.
