Sen. Wyden investigation finds data broker sold location info for anti-abortion ads

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has asked federal agencies to crack down on a data broker accused of selling Planned Parenthood visitors’ information to anti-abortion companies.

In mid-February, Wyden wrote a letter to the chairs of the Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission. The senator revealed his office had launched an investigation into data company Near Intelligence, Inc. — which has since transferred operations to Azira — in May 2023, prompted by an article from the Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper reported that Veritas Society, the nonprofit established by a Wisconsin-based pro-life organization, hired ad agency Recrue Media to place anti-abortion ads across the U.S.

According to Wyden, Recrue Media’s co-founder revealed the company used Near Intelligence’s location data to target ads toward people who had recently visited reproductive health facilities.

The senator alleged the campaign ran from November 2019 through the summer of 2022, following the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe V. Wade.

“On May 26, 2023, my staff spoke with Near’s Chief Privacy Officer, Jay Angelo, who confirmed that, until the summer of 2022, the company did not have any technical controls in place to prevent its customers targeting people who visited sensitive facilities, such as reproductive health clinics,” Wyden wrote.

The senator said the full scope of the ad campaign “remains unknown,” but a now-deleted website reported 14.3 million anti-abortion ads and messages had been delivered in Wisconsin alone.

Across the U.S., Recrue Media’s co-founder told officials visitors at 600 Planned Parenthood locations in 48 states had been targeted.

Wyden cited the Federal Trade Commission’s recent case against X-Mode Social, in which the agency reminded data brokers it is illegal to sell data collected without consent. The senator also noted Near’s former executives are being investigated for fraud, just months after the company filed for bankruptcy.

“But prosecuting those individuals for engaging in financial fraud will not address Near’s corporate abuses, which harmed both the public and investors, nor protect consumers from further harm caused by the use of their data that was illegally collected, stored and sold by Near,” he said.

The data company hasn't responded to the request for comment.