A recent investigation has uncovered a disturbing trend in the data brokerage industry, where companies are using mobile advertising IDs to track the locations of nearly any phone. The revelation has sparked concerns over privacy and the potential misuse of such technology.

Locate X, a people-tracking service, has been found to use mobile advertising IDs to create a vast network of device locations, allowing users to follow a device's movements on a map. This information can then be used to identify the phone's owner, raising serious questions about privacy and security.

The investigation, conducted by Atlas Data Privacy Corp, found that the software can track devices across state lines, even tracing a specific device's movements from a home in Alabama to an abortion clinic in Florida. This has significant implications, particularly in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, as law enforcement agencies may seek to access such location data.

The tool relies on mobile advertising IDs assigned by Google and Apple, which can be used to build a profile of information about a user based on their online activities. Data brokers like Babel Street, which offers Locate X, can then use this information to create tracking tools.

What's more alarming is that access to Locate X is not as restricted as claimed, with sales teams reportedly willing to sell the service to non-government entities. Atlas Data Privacy Corp is currently suing Babel Street over its alleged violation of a New Jersey data privacy law.

This exposé highlights the need for greater transparency and regulation in the data brokerage industry, as well as the importance of protecting user privacy in the digital age.