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+--- Thread: The rapaciousness of data harvesting (/Thread-The-rapaciousness-of-data-harvesting)
The rapaciousness of data harvesting - Maxmars - 08-09-2024
Recently, I was reading about the recent changes to Illinoisian law... the "Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)".
Evidently, it had apparently been "accidentally" created including "teeth." And the lobbying army went to work.
Reportedly, "The 2008 law required companies to obtain written consent for the collection or use of biometric data and allowed victims to sue for damages of $1,000 for each negligent violation and $5,000 for each intentional or reckless violation."
But at the time, no one explained that this was a "real thing" and when the metrics came out it became clear that the industry was sucking data so hard they found the potential damages to be "damaging."
So after a time, this:
From ArsTechnica: Illinois changes biometric privacy law to help corporations avoid big payouts
The 2008 law required companies to obtain written consent for the collection or use of biometric data and allowed victims to sue for damages of $1,000 for each negligent violation and $5,000 for each intentional or reckless violation. But an amendment enacted on Friday states that multiple violations related to a single person's biometric data will be counted as only one violation.
You see, Big Tech "sells" your data so repeatedly, so broadly, and in such volume, that it may well be considered a form of currency. It's never disclosed monetary value is a mystery. Your "harmless" data is continuously being "packaged and sold," and then "packaged as something different and sold again," over and over. Your virtual "you" is quite literally "the product." Some may feel this to be of no concern... I differ.
Perhaps, the number of violations showing up in the audit trail are enormous, and represent the potential loss of previously exploited billions... the actual numbers, I presume, are "trade secrets," or will become so considered.
In 2020, Facebook agreed to a $650 million settlement after being sued by users who alleged violations of the Illinois law. Settlement class members received over $400 each.
The Illinois law is unique in letting individuals sue for damages, Friel wrote. "Colorado recently enacted a BIPA-like biometrics law, but like other states except only Illinois, it does not have a privacy right of action and can only be enforced by the state," he wrote. "However, states are active in enforcing their privacy laws as illustrated by a recent Texas settlement with a social media company for biometric consent claims that included a 9-figure civil penalty payment."
Friel was referring to Facebook-owner Meta agreeing to a $1.4 billion settlement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The Texas AG alleged that Meta "unlawfully captur[ed] the biometric data of millions of Texans without obtaining their informed consent as required by Texas law." The claim was over Facebook using facial recognition for a feature that makes it easier to tag people in photographs.
It isn't that they do this... they all do... It's that they made it a secret.
