Twilio, a leading communications service provider, is facing a lawsuit alleging that its Segment software extracts data from mobile apps without user consent.
The legal case, Bender v. Twilio, Inc [PDF], was filed in a federal court in San Francisco, California. It accuses Twilio’s Segment SDK of violating various laws including America’s Wiretap Act, the California Wiretap Act, and California’s Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act (CDAFA).
The complaint alleges that Twilio covertly gathers sensitive data in real-time through its SDK, including identity information, mobile advertising IDs, device details, and more.
According to the lawsuit, the SDK not only collects user and device information but also tracks in-app activities such as search terms, keystrokes, button interactions, and more.
The lawsuit focuses on the app Calm, which collects sensitive data related to stress, anxiety, and depression, without explicitly disclosing the involvement of Twilio or the Segment SDK.
Keep Calm and Carry On?
The complaint highlights the lack of transparency and user consent in data collection practices involving Twilio’s SDK embedded in mobile applications.
An investigation by The Register revealed data exchanges with segment.com and other services when using the Calm app through a network proxy.
The lawsuit against Twilio is reminiscent of a similar case involving Kochava, which also faced wiretapping allegations for data practices. The outcome of such cases could impact data privacy laws.
Data collection practices without user consent could violate wiretapping laws, especially in California, as seen in previous legal precedents.
While the outcome of the Twilio lawsuit remains uncertain, it underscores the importance of data privacy and user rights in the digital age.
Legal actions against tech companies for data privacy violations serve as a reminder of the need for stronger regulations and accountability in the industry.
Both Twilio and Calm have yet to comment on the lawsuit. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story. ®
