In a startling revelation, a company called Near Intelligence is alleged to have tracked individuals' visits to nearly 600 Planned Parenthood locations across 48 states and provided that data for one of the largest anti-abortion ad campaigns in the nation. Senator Ron Wyden has launched an investigation into the company, calling for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to take action.

The details uncovered by Senator Wyden's investigation shed light on what is believed to be the largest publicly known location-driven anti-abortion ad campaign to date. Abortion rights supporters have raised concerns that this type of data could potentially be used by state governments to prosecute women seeking the procedure, particularly after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling questioning the constitutional right to abortion.

Near Intelligence, a location data provider that claims to have information on 1.6 billion people across 44 countries, is at the center of the controversy. The company's data was reportedly used to target ads to individuals who had visited specific locations, including reproductive health clinics.

Wyden's inquiry follows an interview with Steven Bogue, co-founder of advertising firm Recrue Media, who confirmed using Near Intelligence's data for a national anti-abortion ad blitz between 2019 and 2022, encompassing states such as Wisconsin, Arkansas, New Jersey, California, and Colorado. The Veritas Society, an anti-abortion group associated with Wisconsin Right to Life, was previously linked to this campaign.

While the ability to use location data to target ads to Planned Parenthood visitors has been available to data brokers for years, the scale of this specific campaign is unprecedented, according to Justin Sherman, a Duke University researcher specializing in data brokers.

One of the troubling aspects of the case is the alleged collection and sale of data without users' consent. Near Intelligence's former chief privacy officer, Jay Angelo, revealed that the company collected and sold data about people without their consent, a practice that continued for Americans due to the absence of federal privacy regulations.

Wyden also accuses Near Intelligence of misleading investors by claiming compliance with user consent requirements in its filings. The senator's office had been requesting information from Near Intelligence since May 2023, an inquiry that continued through June 2023, contradicting Near Intelligence's claims.

Near Intelligence filed for bankruptcy in December and is currently in the process of selling off its business and assets. Wyden is now urging the FTC to prevent Near Intelligence from selling the data it collected from Planned Parenthood facilities, citing the sensitivity of the information and potential harm to consumers.

The FTC has recently taken a more stringent stance against data brokers collecting and sharing health-related information. Notably, the agency settled with location data broker X-Mode, which targeted individuals who had visited medical facilities, and filed a lawsuit against data broker Kochava for tracking visits to reproductive healthcare clinics, alleging improper consent practices in both cases.

As the investigation unfolds, Senator Wyden's call for action signals an increasing need for robust privacy regulations and consumer protection to curb the intrusive practices of data brokers.