https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/08/massachusetts-votes-to-pass-new-privacy-rights-bill-that-bans-sale-of-precise-location-data/ [tc-lockup-hp] TechCrunch Desktop Logo [tc-lo] TechCrunch Mobile Logo * Latest * Startups * Venture * Apple * Security * AI * Apps * Disrupt 2026 * Events * Podcasts * Newsletters Search [ ]Submit * Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterprise EVs Fintech Fundraising Gadgets Gaming Google Government & Policy Hardware Instagram Layoffs Media & Entertainment Meta Microsoft Privacy Robotics Security Social Space Startups TikTok Transportation Venture More from TechCrunch Staff Events Startup Battlefield StrictlyVC Newsletters Podcasts Videos Partner Content TechCrunch Brand Studio Crunchboard Contact Us A street map with location dots on top.Image Credits:Getty Images Security Massachusetts votes to pass new privacy rights bill that bans sale of precise location data Zack Whittaker 6:26 AM PDT * June 8, 2026 Massachusetts lawmakers have voted to pass privacy protections that grant the state's residents new rights over accessing and deleting their data held by big tech giants. The bill also bans companies from selling their users' precise location data. Lawmakers in the Massachusetts House passed the state's Consumer Data Privacy Act in a unanimous 146-0 vote on Thursday, months after all of the Senate's 40 lawmakers voted in favor of advancing its own bill in September. Now, the bills will be combined in the Senate, and sent to the state governor's office, where it is expected to be signed into law. It's not immediately clear when that will happen. The move makes Massachusetts the latest U.S. state to push for stronger consumer privacy rights after years of documented abuses by the wider technology, advertising, and social media industries. While the United States does not have a nationwide privacy law, unlike many of the world's major democracies, U.S. states have filled the void of legislation by bringing their own patchwork of privacy rules that apply to their states. The bill, if passed into law, will apply to companies that handle or process the personal data of more than 100,000 consumers. It will largely affect medium-sized startups as well as Silicon Valley technology titans. The law would block the sharing or sale of sensitive information without a user's explicit consent. This data includes biometrics (such as health data, genetic information, and fingerprints), their precise geolocation data, and other markers about their religion, immigration status, and sexual orientation. The collection and sale of people's location data has been a major flashpoint in privacy debates for years. Data brokers have for years relied on app developers selling their users' location data to repackage and sell it to anyone who can pay, including stalkers, governments, and militaries. In many cases, the government says it does not need a warrant to purchase data that's commercially available on the open marketplace. The Biden administration came close to banning the sale of Americans' sensitive data at the federal level, but the Trump government has since scrapped the change. By applying the location data ban to both residents and visitors, the Massachusetts law will effectively blanket-ban the sale of location data across the state. The bill is anticipated to have a broad effect on startups that collect, share, and sell location data in Massachusetts, as well as advertising companies that use location data to target people with ads. According to local media WBUR and Massachusetts newspaper Lynn Journal, state lawmakers worked across party lines under the belief that privacy is a fundamental right to Massachusetts state residents. The bill was generally praised by privacy groups and advocates. Evan Greer, director of the Fight for the Future advocacy group, said the Massachusetts bill "took a major step toward cracking down on Big Tech's surveillance abuses," while the ACLU praised the landmark bill as positioning the state as a "leader in protecting personal privacy and curbing digital surveillance." Topics cybersecurity, location data, Massachusetts, Privacy, privacy, Security When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our editorial independence. Zack Whittaker Zack Whittaker Security Editor Zack Whittaker is the security editor at TechCrunch. He also authors the weekly cybersecurity newsletter, this week in security. He can be reached via encrypted message at zackwhittaker.1337 on Signal. You can also contact him by email, or to verify outreach, at zack.whittaker@techcrunch.com. 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