“Americans should be able to file their taxes without fear that their sensitive data will be shared with Big Tech companies,” said the letters, copies of which were obtained by CNN.
The letters — led by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren — focus on the use of tracking technology developed by tech platforms and embedded within the tax prep companies’ websites that quietly transferred users’ personal information to Meta and Google, allegedly without their consent.
Of the five tax prep companies, Intuit was not a major focus of the initial congressional probe because it did not use tracking pixels to the same extent as the others, the investigation found.
They also asked the same question of each of the four other tax prep companies, as well as requesting a commitment to abide by the FTC’s warning not to use customer data in ways consumers did not expressly approve.
The lawmakers requested that the tax prep firms respond by Nov. 8.
Persons:
”, Massachusetts Democratic Sen, Elizabeth Warren —, Warren, Meta, — Sens, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse, Katie Porter
Organizations:
CNN, Federal Trade Commission, Big Tech, Massachusetts Democratic, Meta, Google, FTC, Intuit, Ramsey Solutions, Oregon Democrat, Connecticut Democrat, Vermont Independent, Rhode, Rhode Island Democrat, House Democratic
Locations:
Oregon, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, California