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@REPLYADDR Leroy N. Soetoro
<democrat-criminals@mail.house.gov>
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https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/democrats-potentially-illegal-
taxpayer-data-breach-warrants-doj-investigation?dicbo=v2-6NP0MGS
Senators call out Google, Meta and tax prep companies
Senate Democrats are calling on the Department of Justice to investigate
after a months-long probe reportedly revealed "outrageous, extensive and
potentially illegal sharing of taxpayers? sensitive personal and financial
information with Meta by online tax preparation companies."
The lawmakers, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, Richard
Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Bernie Sanders and Sheldon Whitehouse,
released a 54-page report on the issue, also requesting prosecution if a
company or individual violated the law.
The group, as well as Rep. Katie Porter, sent a letter to the Internal
Revenue Service, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration,
the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice that
highlighted the findings.
Warren`s office said that companies shared millions of taxpayers? tax
return data, meaning they could face billions of dollars in potential
criminal liability.
REPUBLICANS, TRADE ASSOCIATION IN FIGHT WITH SEC OVER ?UNCONSTITUTIONAL?
LIST OF INVESTOR INFO
"The findings of this report reveal a shocking breach of taxpayer privacy
by tax prep companies and by Big Tech firms that appeared to violate
taxpayers? rights and may have violated taxpayer privacy law," the
lawmakers wrote. "Relevant enforcement entities ? including the IRS, the
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) should fully
investigate this matter and prosecute any company or individuals who
violated the law."
The report said tax prep companies used computer code ? known as pixels ?
to send data to the tech giants, including Meta Pixel and Google
Analytics.
In response to the congressional inquiry, Warren`s office said the
companies each revealed they had shared taxpayer data via their use of the
Meta Pixel and Google tools.
The FTC and experts reportedly said that although the tax prep companies
and tech firms claimed that all shared data was anonymous, the data could
easily be used to identify individuals or to create a dossier on them that
could be used for targeted advertising or other purposes.
The tax prep companies are said to have indicated they installed the Meta
and Google tools on their sites without fully understanding the extent to
which they would send taxpayer data to these tech firms, without
consulting with independent compliance or privacy experts, and without
full knowledge of Meta?s use of and disposition of the data.
The lawmakers said that by law a tax return preparer may not disclose or
use a taxpayer?s tax return information prior to obtaining written consent
from the taxpayer, and that they had failed to do so when it came to the
information that was turned over to Meta and Google.
While these companies can also turn over data to "auxiliary service
providers in connection with the preparation of a tax return," Meta and
Google likely do not meet that definition, and data sharing with Meta was
not for purposes in connection with the preparation of a return, but
advertising.
"H&R Block takes protecting our clients? privacy very seriously, and we
have taken steps to prevent the sharing of information via pixels," a
spokeswoman told FOX Business in an email on Thursday.
"We have strict policies and technical features that prohibit Google
Analytics customers from collecting data that could be used to identify an
individual," a Google spokesperson also told FOX Business. "Site owners ?
not Google ? are in control of what information they collect and must
inform their users of how it will be used. Additionally, Google has strict
policies against advertising to people based on sensitive information."
The spokesperson pointed out that organizations control what data is
collected, using Google Analytics, and how it is used, and that Google
only stores and processes this data per their instructions.
Organizations are required to give visitors proper notice about the
implementations and features of Google Analytics that they use, and
whether this data can be connected to other data they have about them.
Furthermore, Google Analytics customers are prohibited from uploading
information that could be used by Google to identify a person, and Google
Analytics cannot be used to show advertisements to people based on
sensitive information such as health, ethnicity, sexual orientation or
negative financial situations.
"We?ve been clear in our policies that advertisers should not send
sensitive information about people through our business tools," Meta told
FOX Business. "Doing so is against our policies and we educate advertisers
on properly setting up business tools to prevent this from occurring. Our
system is designed to filter out potentially sensitive data it is able to
detect."
TaxAct told FOX Business that it has engaged with Warren and her staff to
provide "transparent, detailed explanations on [its] use of these standard
analytics tools."
"TaxAct has always complied with laws that protect our customers? privacy
and, as noted in the report, we disabled the tools in question while we
evaluated potential concerns. Protecting the rights and privacy of our
customers is our top priority, and we are committed to engaging with
stakeholders to address any concerns and to help advance public policy,"
it said.
TaxSlayer did not immediately respond to FOX Business` requests for
comment.
--
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that
stupid people won`t be offended.
Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem. It has none.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama`s leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.
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