Rent-To-Own dealer settles consumer spying allegations
Posted by: Jon Ben-Mayor on 10/24/2013 09:32 AM
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Rent-to-own dealer Aaron's, Inc. has reached a settlement with the FTC for allegedly using software installed on its computers to spy on consumers; the allegations include the capturing of intimate moments, keystrokes, passwords and financial information.
As the Los Angeles Times reports, in some instances, the company captured images of customers engaged in what the FTC called "intimate activities."
The Atlanta company, which operates about 1,800 U.S. stores including dozens in California, agreed to stop the monitoring in a settlement with the FTC.
Under terms of the settlement, Aaron's and its franchisees will be be prohibited from using monitoring technology that captures keystrokes or screen shots and will not activate the webcam and microphone on a customerâs computer, except to provide technical support requested by customers.
"Consumers have a right to rent computers free of cyberspying and to know when and how they are being tracked by a company,â said Jessica Rich, director of the FTCâs consumer protection bureau. "By enabling their franchisees to use this invasive software, Aaronâs facilitated a violation of many consumersâ privacy."
The settlement also requires Aaron's to give clear notice and obtain consent from consumers in order to install technology that allows location tracking of a rented product.
Aaron's declined to comment.
As the Los Angeles Times reports, in some instances, the company captured images of customers engaged in what the FTC called "intimate activities."The Atlanta company, which operates about 1,800 U.S. stores including dozens in California, agreed to stop the monitoring in a settlement with the FTC.
Under terms of the settlement, Aaron's and its franchisees will be be prohibited from using monitoring technology that captures keystrokes or screen shots and will not activate the webcam and microphone on a customerâs computer, except to provide technical support requested by customers.
"Consumers have a right to rent computers free of cyberspying and to know when and how they are being tracked by a company,â said Jessica Rich, director of the FTCâs consumer protection bureau. "By enabling their franchisees to use this invasive software, Aaronâs facilitated a violation of many consumersâ privacy."
The settlement also requires Aaron's to give clear notice and obtain consent from consumers in order to install technology that allows location tracking of a rented product.
Aaron's declined to comment.
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