Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court asking for fair use of public data shared by businesses that can potentially harm consumers when reported inaccurately.
The brief was filed in response to the Spokeo v. Robins case, alleging the personal data search engine used information that violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act by sharing information about Robins that was inaccurate. According to the brief, when inaccurate data is shared it can cause negative consequences to consumers of which they may be aware.
“We live in a data-driven economy, where our personal data is routinely collected, bought, and sold without our knowledge,” Healey said. “This data is often used as the basis for giving someone housing, insurance, a line of credit, or a job. Individuals should not be penalized or lose out on these opportunities because inaccurate information about them has been disseminated.”
According to the brief, even credit reports, which are highly regulated, continue to have errors. The brief was joined by 12 states and the District of Columbia. In May, a lawsuit submitted by Healey was filed against the three credit reporting agencies over errors in reports. The companies paid a total of $6 million for the multi-state settlement.