US Govt Targets Big Tech To Get Personal Data Of 1,00,000 Users

If you think your app downloads and purchase history are private, a new case from the United States may raise some serious questions. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is asking tech giants Apple and Google to hand over personal information of more than 1,00,000 users linked to a car diagnostics app called Auto Agent. The app was developed by EZ Lynk, a cloud-based vehicle diagnostic and tuning platformAccording to a report by Forbes, the DOJ has sent subpoenas not only to Apple and Google but also to Amazon and Walmart. The Trump administration wants names, addresses, and purchase records of people who downloaded the app or bought EZ Lynk’s devices.The case is related to allegations that EZ Lynk sold products designed to disable emissions

controls in vehicles. These controls are meant to reduce harmful pollution from cars and trucks."Emissions controls on cars and trucks protect the public from harmful effects of air pollution. EZ Lynk has put the public’s health at risk by manufacturing and selling devices intended to disable those emissions controls. Through our lawsuit, we will prevent Defendants from continuing to sell this product and impose civil penalties to hold them to account," the US Attorney Audrey Strauss said.Why South Korea’s Chipset Issues Could Bring The Big Tech At Halt

The DOJ says it needs this data to identify users who may serve as witnesses in the case. In court documents, the US government said that users shared this information willingly. It also argued that by accepting EZ Lynk’s terms and conditions, users gave up their legal right to claim privacy over that data.EZ Lynk strongly disagrees."These requests for potentially hundreds of thousands of people’s PII go well beyond the needs of this case and create serious privacy concerns. Investigating this claim does not require identifying each person who has used the product," EZ Lynk’s lawyers wrote in the letter, according to Forbes.