But there is a behind-the-scenes irony that needs to be examined in the open: the extent to which highly personal information that people choose not to disclose even to family, friends, or colleagues is actually shared with complete strangers. These strangers participate in the often shadowy ad tech and data broker ecosystem where companies have a profit motive to share data at an unprecedented scale and granularity.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Though there are many areas of life that users of digital services may wish to keep private, information related to reproductive health is especially sensitive, the blog post says. As such, the FTC intends to use federal and state law to pursue any companies that fail to adequately protect such information or misrepresent the way it is stored, anonymized, and shared.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Commission is committed to using the full scope of its legal authorities to protect consumers\u2019 privacy,\u201d Cohen writes. \u201cWe will vigorously enforce the law if we uncover illegal conduct that exploits Americans\u2019 location, health, or other sensitive data. The FTC\u2019s past enforcement actions provide a roadmap for firms seeking to comply with the law.\u201d<\/p>\n