FTC & Sears settle charges regarding tracking software

Sears has agreed to settle FTC charges that it failed to adequately disclose the scope of consumers’ personal information it collected via a downloadable software application.  According to the FTC complaint, Sears represented to consumers the software would track their online browsing.  However, the software would also monitor consumers’ online secure sessions and collect information transmitted in those sessions, including contents of shopping carts, online bank statements, drug prescription records, video rental records, and other information.  The software would also track some computer activities that were not related to the internet.  The proposed settlement calls for Sears to stop collecting data from consumers who downloaded the software and to destroy all data it previously collected.