Beyond that, the FTC alleged that Kochava also makes it easy for advertisers to target customers by categories that are “often based on specific sensitive and personal characteristics or attributes identified from its massive collection of data about individual consumers.” These “audience segments” allegedly allow advertisers to conduct invasive targeting by grouping people not just by common data points like age or gender, but by “places they have visited,” political associations, or even their current circumstances, like whether they’re expectant parents. Or advertisers can allegedly combine data points to target highly specific audience segments like “all the pregnant Muslim women in Kochava’s database,” the FTC alleged, or “parents with different ages of children.” \n

Kochava “provides an unprecedented view into a consumer’s personal actions, decisions, and behaviors,” the FTC alleged, seeming particularly concerned that Kochava collects barely any information from its customers before providing access to this sensitive information. “Kochava’s practices intrude into the most private areas of consumers’ lives and cause or are likely to cause substantial injury to consumers,” the complaint said.

Seems like another Cambridge Analytica waiting to happen.