Dataium Settles Online Tracking Dispute

Nashville, USA-based automotive industry analytics company Dataium has entered a $400k agreement to settle allegations of tracking web users without their consent.

Dataium tracks and analyses online vehicle purchases / shopping sessions. The State of New Jersey had accused it of 'history sniffing' between November 2010 and November 2012 - using JavaScript programs that examine browser history logs; and of selling personally identifiable information on to Acxiom, again without notice or permission.

Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said that under the terms of the settlement, Dataium will pay $99,000 to the State over the next two years - the remaining $301,000 is suspended but will fall due immediately if the company fails to honour other terms or violates the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act in the next five years. Other terms include the creation of a privacy program designed to protect consumers, and a clear statement on its site of what type of consumer information it collects, and what is done with it.

Division of Consumer Affairs Director Eric T. Kanefsky said the settlement 'should serve as a warning to those who seek to unlawfully procure and sell information about consumers', adding: 'The bottom line is that consumers should be aware of who is collecting information about them when they are online and how they're doing it, and they should have every opportunity to control what happens to that information.'