New Privacy Concern for State Lawmakers: Geolocation Data Privacy

New Privacy Concern for State Lawmakers: Geolocation Data Privacy

Geolocation data indicates the physical location of device, user or object typically via GPS, IP addresses, Wi-Fi or cellular network signals. (JTKPHOTOz/Getty Images)

Geolocation data has become a new frontier in privacy protection.

This year, Virginia could join Maryland and Oregon as the first states to prohibit the sale of information that provides the precise geographic location of a device, object or user through GPS, IP address tracking, Wi-Fi triangulation or cellular network signals, among other means.

The bans in Maryland (SB 541, 2025) and Oregon (HB 2008, 2025) were enacted in the past four months. Virginia's bill (SB 338), by Sens. Russet Perry (D) and David Suetterlein (R), would ban geolocation data sales in the Old Dominion starting in July.

Consumer Reports, the nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization that publishes an investigative journalism magazine with the same name, has announced its support for the Virginia bill.

Read the rest of this story at State Net Capitol Journal. Originally published Feb. 18, 2026; used with permission.

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