The FTC finalized an order banning Support King, LLC and its CEO from the surveillance business for selling stalkerware apps that secretly collected and shared users' personal data without consent. The order requires them to delete all illegally collected data and notify affected device owners.
The order bans the company and CEO from offering or selling surveillance apps, requires deletion of all illegally collected data, and mandates notification to device owners whose devices were monitored.
In-house legal teams should review all agreements involving surveillance services, mobile applications, or data collection tools—including vendor contracts with app developers, customer agreements for monitoring services, and data processing addendums. Key clauses to scrutinize are those governing user consent for data collection (especially for sensitive data like GPS locations and communications), data retention and deletion protocols, breach notification procedures, and explicit prohibitions against covert or unauthorized data harvesting. Based on this enforcement action, contracts may require amendments to mandate explicit, informed consent for any data collection; incorporate mandatory data deletion upon termination or request; include clear bans on surreptitious monitoring; and establish obligations to notify affected individuals of data compromises or unauthorized access.
Entity
Support King, LLC
Also known as: Support King
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/12/ftc-finalizes-order-banning-stalkerware-provider-spyware-business
ftc bans spyfone ceo surveillance business orders company de
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/09/ftc-bans-spyfone-ceo-surveillance-business-orders-company-delete-all-secretly-stolen-data
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Support King, LLC"
"sold stalkerware apps that allowed purchasers to surreptitiously monitor photos, text messages, web histories, GPS locations, and other personal information on the phone on which the app was installed without the device owner’s knowledge."
The FTC banned Support King, LLC (SpyFone) and its CEO from the surveillance business for secretly harvesting and sharing users' data without consent, and ordered the deletion of all illegally collected data and notification to affected device owners. The company failed to secure the data, leading to a hack that exposed 2,200 consumers.
The FTC referred a complaint against REPS & Company Inc. and company executives, alleging they bypassed ticket-issuer security controls and purchasing limits to acquire millions of tickets for resale. The complaint was filed by the Department of Justice, and the case will be decided by the court; the press release does not report a penalty or other remedy imposed.
The FTC sued Digital Forensics Corporation LLC and affiliated defendants, alleging they misled sextortion victims with promises of investigative and monitoring services that often were not provided, and used fake positive reviews. A federal court granted the FTC’s request to temporarily halt the defendants’ activities; the complaint remains for the court to decide.
The FTC alleged that Greenway Auto Group advertised vehicle prices thousands of dollars below the amounts consumers actually paid and used mailers falsely suggesting recipients had won cash prizes. Greenway agreed to an order requiring transparent pricing and prohibiting deceptive prize mailers and other misrepresentations; the press release does not state a monetary penalty.
The FTC sent warning letters to 24 large healthcare services companies, cautioning that incomplete, inaccurate, or untimely pricing information for scheduled medical care may be unfair or deceptive. The letters urge recipients to review their price-disclosure practices and take corrective action; they announce no fine or formal order.
$1.9M
The FTC alleged that Premier Franchising Group LLC and Franchise Fastlane LLC made deceptive and unsubstantiated claims about the Premier Martial Arts franchise opportunity and violated the Franchise Rule. The proposed settlements require the companies to pay a combined $1.85 million to compensate franchisees, prohibit certain misrepresentations, and require Franchise Rule compliance; certain franchisees may also cancel their agreements without penalty.