DPC issues statement about RTÉ's Prime Time Investigation
06/10/2025 | Data Protection Commission
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has published a statement concerning the RTÉ Prime Time Investigation into the sale of sensitive smartphone location data.
At the DPC’s request, the data broker in question confirmed that it has suspended all services involving Irish user location data for at least 28 days while the engagement and regulatory action continue.
The DPC has also identified two other companies in other EU member states involved in the case and is now collaborating with the data protection authorities (DPAs) in those jurisdictions.
In addition, the DPC clarified that online behavioural advertising using Real Time Bidding (RTB) is the subject of a separate ongoing statutory inquiry and that it does not disclose precise location data to third parties.
Meanwhile, in an op-ed for Lawfare, Global Cyber Strategies CEO Justin Sherman outlined concerns over data broker access to such sensitive data, where it involves US military personnel. While DPAs have issued enforcement actions to protect consumers against unwanted data collection and sales via brokers, the sheer volume of brokers in Europe could enable adversaries to obtain sensitive intelligence data.
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