A new lawsuit alleges that whitepages.com has misappropriated millions of Americans’ personal information without consent to promote its paid services.
The class-action suit was filed Thursday in the Western District of Washington.
According to the complaint, Whitepages allegedly created free-preview profiles using personal data such as names, addresses, and job details to advertise subscriptions to Whitepages Premium, a platform providing access to more detailed information for paying customers.
These profiles, optimized for visibility in search engines, entice visitors to sign up for services without obtaining the individuals’ consent.
The plaintiffs claim that Whitepages violated state laws in Washington, California, Illinois, and Ohio that protect individuals’ rights to control the use of their identities for commercial purposes.
Washington’s Personality Rights Act, for instance, prohibits the unauthorized use of a person’s name or likeness in advertising.
The lawsuit seeks damages for those affected and an injunction to prevent Whitepages from using individuals’ personal information in this manner.
Whitepages has not yet commented on the case.