'Chilling' that Irish people's location data is up for sale for 'very little money'

Irish people's phone date, including their location, is available for sale for "very little money and very very little effort." 

So said Labour TD, Ivana Bacik in the Dáil today, following the release of an RTÉ Prime Time Investigates documentary. 

It revealed that journalists could buy data that allowed them to track the journeys of Irish smartphone users.

Those who bought the data were able to track Irish Naval Service vessels, Irish Prison Officers, and the phones of people in Leinster House, which led to politicians home addresses being leaked.

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Deputy Bacik highlighted how in 2020, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties did a similar investigation to that of RTÉ. 

It bought data that included information on 200 Irish people who had been tagged as survivors of abuse. 

She said that despite those findings being handing to the government and Data Protection Commission at the time, no action was taken to protect the privacy of individuals.

The Data Protection Commissioner has the power to do this, it was said. 

"It seems the best response the government could give was a watery commitment of the possibility of looking at vague new laws and frankly that's not good enough, nor is it appropriate," Deputy Bacik said.

She added that it was a total breach of Ireland's GDPR as there was no way the individuals could have consented to their data being sold.

"The question remains - why did they not use existing statutory powers sooner to protect people's privacy?" Deputy Bacik asked.

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Following the RTÉ documentary, the Data Protection Commission has pledged to look into the matter and take action against the two companies that were mentioned. 

One of those companies was based in Ireland and while the other was not, it is based in the EU.

Deputy Bacik flagged that data being available for purchase not only poses a risk to individual lives but to Ireland's cyber security as a whole. 

Minister for Justice, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, responded to say he saw the documentary and he believes the Data Protection Commissioner has visited the office of the Irish-based company selling data. 

"I am extremely concerned about it...I think what was most concerning about it was the fact individuals movements could be so readily identified and also sold on," he said. 

Deputy O'Callaghan was one of the people affected by the sale of data.

He added that he has met with officials in his department and asked them to engage with the Data Protection Commission on the matter.

He also said he is satisfied with the Commissions investigation so far and added that he is "confident" they will get to the bottom of who is selling the date.