The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has confirmed that an Irish company at the centre of a recent RTÉ investigation into the sale of smartphone location data has temporarily suspended operations.
The company, at the request of the DPC, has suspended "all services involving location data relating to Irish users for a minimum of 28 days".
"Our engagement with the company continues and we are receiving further information which will guide further regulatory action," the DPC said in an update.
The DPC also said that the activities of two additional companies based in two other EU member states are also being examined, adding that it is liaising with the relevant national data protection authorities in those jurisdictions.
The action follows an investigation by Prime Time broadcast on 18 September which showed how the precise movements of tens of thousands of Irish smartphones are being sold by brokers in the digital advertising industry.
Read more: Security concern as tens of thousands of phone locations for sale
The programme revealed how devices could be traced through prisons, military bases and other secure locations before being linked back to residential addresses.
It saw undercover journalists pose as a start-up data analytics agency and obtain a sample dataset which showed the movement of around 64,000 Irish smartphones over a two-week period.
The revelations triggered high-level concern among politicians and officials working in security and defence.
Last week, it was the subject of discussion in Dáil Éireann. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said the issue was an "extremely serious matter," adding that he is "extremely concerned" by what had been identified by Prime Time.
The Minister also said he now recommends turning off location services for certain apps.
The issue was raised by Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who expressed concern that the DPC was not using its statutory powers to deal with brokers selling precise location data, accusing the Government of adopting a "hands-off approach".
In the aftermath of the Prime Time programme, groups including Women’s Aid, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) and Defence Forces officers’ body RACO also called for urgent curbs on the sale of precise location data.
Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney labelled the issue "a threat to our national security" and has urged Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris to come before the Dáil on the matter.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government is examining the issue "because there are security implications in terms of tracking of movement, particularly of people who may be vulnerable and on security grounds".
In the update issued today, the DPC also sought to clarify wider public debate around the online advertising system known as 'Real Time Bidding’ (RTB), into which it is conducting a separate inquiry.
"While the DPC does not generally comment on ongoing inquiries, given the significant public interest, we wish to confirm that the RTB system which is the subject of an ongoing DPC statutory inquiry does not disclose precise location data to third parties," it said.
However, privacy campaigners, including those at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, dispute this, claiming location data can be exposed through the RTB system.
The Prime Time report is available here, and on the RTÉ Player.
