Weather Channel App Accused of Selling Users’ Personal Data

Weather Channel App Accused of Selling Users’ Personal Data
A mobile phone with The Weather Channel app is seen Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Los Angeles City Attorney Michael Feuer said Friday that owners of The Weather Channel app, one of the most popular mobile weather apps, used it to track people's every step and profit off that information. Brian Melley/AP
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LOS ANGELES—People relied on the most popular mobile weather app to track forecasts that determined whether they chose jeans over shorts and packed a parka or umbrella, but its owners used it to track their every step and profit off that information, Los Angeles prosecutors said Jan. 4.

The operator of The Weather Channel mobile app misled users who agreed to share their location information in exchange for personalized forecasts and alerts, and they instead unwittingly surrendered personal privacy when the company sold their data to third parties, City Attorney Michael Feuer said.