A data positioning broker fellowship address SafeGraph says it will no longer sell the location data of groups of people visiting Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide abortions following a late Vicereport . Purchasers of that datum previously could reportedly secern where visitors to those clinics came from , how long they quell at the clinic and where they went after .
SafeGraph on Tuesday state it resolve to reverse course in part due to news show of aleakedinitial draft majority notion which shows the U.S. Supreme Court ’s plain stake in striking down Roe v Wade , a titanic move that would effectively make abortion illegal in many states .
“ In light of likely federal changes in family planning accession , we ’re removing Patterns information for placement separate as NAICS computer code 621410 ( ‘ Family Planning Centers ’ ) from our self - serve “ shop class ” and API to curtail any potential misuse of its data point , ” SafeGraph save on itswebsite .
Photo: David Ryder (Getty Images)
In an interview with Gizmodo , a SafeGraph spokesperson said the company made the decision ground partly on the “ polarizing ” nature of the data and in response to what he sees as “ misinformation ” surrounding how their data can be used .
“ We ’re convinced the datum does not pose any privateness or surety risk to individuals and have had no reports of individuals or parties using our data maliciously , ” the company voice said . “ But since this is a very polarizing and sensible subject , it makes sentience for us to proactively set aside access code to our mass data related to mob planning eye to unidentified user . ”
Controversy around SafeGraph ’s data amount as activists and lawgiver warn of the possible weaponizing of personal data point to track down women search miscarriage in a Wiley Post Roe v Wade America . Oregon Senator Ron Wyden commented on the dark possible action of anti - abortion vigilance man using data to hunt people down in a recentinterviewwith Gizmodo .
“ If the Supreme Court follows through and overturns Roe , every digital record — from web search , to phone phonograph record and app data point — will be weaponized in Republican body politic as a way to hold women ’s body , ” Wyden told Gizmodo . “ The unsubdivided act of searching for ‘ pregnancy trial ’ could do a woman to be stalked , chevy and round . ”
SafeGraph , whose financesreportedlyinclude Peter Thiel and a former Saudi Arabian tidings pass , aggregate datum it gather from phone apps and sell it . The company assures users all of its data is anonymized , though seclusion experts at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and elsewherepoint outit ’s “ trivially light ” tolinkthat eccentric of information with real - world identities .
Despite those concerns , SafeGraph restate to Gizmodo their authority in the company ’s ability to keep data point anonymous .
“ We ’ve always consider concealment our first priority and our information can not be de - anonymized to key out individuals , ” the spokesperson said . “ I can only speak for SafeGraph but we ’ve never encountered anyone who has used our data to distinguish an somebody , despite tens of thousands of the world ’s best data scientists and researchers analyzing our data over the past few years . We ’re sure-footed our data protect the identity operator of individuals . ”
There ’s already grounds of data being used to target abortion searcher . Back in 2017 , a Mississippi woman wasreportedlycharged with 2d - grade slaying after public prosecutor were able-bodied to use her online hunt results for abortion pill as a motive following a go gestation . Two year prior to that , Indiana prosecuting attorney used a woman ’s phone content around so-called online purchases of miscarriage pill as part of a case that lead in the woman being foundguiltyof feticide and shaver negligence .
SafeGraph give tongue to reservations around its decision to stop sell miscarriage - related data , claim doing so may negatively bear on researchers .
“ Taking away this data will impact many faculty member that desire to examine this theme ( like translate the impact of legislation on family planning visits ) , ” the society said . “ We notice that our conclusion to take down Patterns for family planning centers could negatively impact this valuable research , but we recollect this is the correct decision given the current climate . ”
“ lay down post data convenient and approachable via self service has the drawback that we are n’t able to fully control who purchase the data , ” the interpreter said . “ The welfare is that it allows our data to chop-chop get into the hands of researchers doing very important work . ”
GizmodoPeter ThielRoe v. WadeSocial IssuesWomen ’s health
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