FTC says flashlight app left consumers in the dark

WASHINGTON — The maker of a popular Android mobile app that turns your phone into a flashlight has agreed to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s charges that the software secretly supplied cellphone locations to marketers, even when consumers rejected its terms of service.

The settlement against Goldenshores Technologies LLC, which makes the “Brightest Flashlight Free” app, comes as the FTC is taking a closer look at app developers, websites and other companies that track consumers’ data without their knowledge. The company will make changes under the agreement; no fines were imposed.

This particular case came to light because of the diligence of tech-savvy customers who questioned why a flashlight app would be interested in a phone’s geolocation. The FTC said consumer concerns posted online helped to tip off the agency.

“When consumers are given a real, informed choice, they can decide for themselves whether the benefit of a service is worth the information they must share to use it,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection.