location data broker

Kochava

A location data broker selling mobile advertising and measurement data, sued by the FTC over sensitive geolocation-data practices. Kochava scores low because of documented human harm, surveillance capture, and identity capture, with extractive economics and centralized governance reinforcing the negative evaluation.

Why this matters: Sensitive location brokerage makes ordinary phone use a surveillance surface people cannot realistically avoid.

Letter grade F Malignant Medium confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 6, 2026

Final Score -14* F - Malignant

FMALIGNANT-14 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material8

Bonus+0

Cap35Ownership <= 2 and Governance <= 2

After Cap8

Penalties-22

!Not Verified

Represent this organization?

Request verification to have the evidence record checked against primary materials and organization-supplied documents. Verification does not buy a higher score; scores change only when review finds factual errors, omissions, or miscalibration.

Request verification

Evaluation Overview

F - Malignant

The score turns mainly on Labor Sovereignty, with the largest penalty coming from Human Harm.

Strengths

Labor Sovereignty2/7
Ownership1/10
Governance1/10

Penalties

Human Harm-10
Surveillance Capture-5
Identity Capture-3
Accountability Opacity-2

Evidence state

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessPartial (AI)
Linked claims6
Direct axis claims6
Coverage6/14

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	1 / 10	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 12 scored entries below, 65 tied, 149 above on Ownership. Linked evidence context Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	1 / 10	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 2 scored entries below, 68 tied, 156 above on Governance. Linked evidence context Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	1 / 10	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 2 scored entries below, 17 tied, 207 above on Extraction. Linked evidence context Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	2 / 7	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 8 scored entries below, 36 tied, 182 above on Labor Sovereignty. Linked evidence context Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	1 / 7	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. That keeps Kochava low on Solidarity with the Unemployed: the model provides little protection for people who leave, are excluded, or cannot bargain from employment. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 3 scored entries below, 27 tied, 196 above on Solidarity with the Unemployed. Linked evidence context Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	1 / 7	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. That keeps Kochava low on Loss-Bearing Fidelity: losses, hazards, or adjustment costs are routinely pushed onto workers, customers, suppliers, communities, or the public. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 12 scored entries below, 20 tied, 194 above on Loss-Bearing Fidelity. Linked evidence context Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	0 / 5	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 0 scored entries below, 14 tied, 212 above on Market Conduct. Linked evidence Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	0 / 5	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 0 scored entries below, 4 tied, 222 above on Product Integrity. Linked evidence context Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	1 / 5	Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 14 scored entries below, 16 tied, 196 above on Scale Integrity. Linked evidence context Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics. [1]

Penalties

Penalty	Applied	Why this penalty
Human Harm ? Severity, scale, culpability, vulnerable targets, willful reoffense, reputation laundering, pattern escalation, and time decay. Range: -20 to 0.	-10	The FTC sued Kochava, alleging it sold geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could trace people to sensitive locations including reproductive health clinics, places of worship, shelters, and addiction recovery facilities. The FTC sued Kochava, alleging it sold geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could trace people to sensitive locations including reproductive health clinics, places of worship, shelters, and addiction recovery facilities. That warrants a substantial Human Harm penalty because ordinary operation, documented misconduct, or institutional power creates serious injury, deprivation, abuse, or foreseeable human damage. The value is substantial but not at the floor because the linked record shows serious conduct without the strongest aggravating factors on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 24 scored entries below, 6 tied, 196 above on Human Harm. Linked evidence The FTC sued Kochava, alleging it sold geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could trace people to sensitive locations including reproductive health clinics, places of worship, shelters, and addiction recovery facilities. [2]
Accountability Opacity ? Material opacity, reputation laundering, or hidden accountability structures that prevent public accountability. Range: -2 to 0.	-2	The FTC alleged people were often unaware their location data was being purchased and shared by Kochava and had no control over its sale or use. The FTC alleged people were often unaware their location data was being purchased and shared by Kochava and had no control over its sale or use. That warrants a severe Accountability Opacity penalty because material facts, risks, conflicts, ownership, or accountability information are obscured from the public. The value is near the floor because the conduct appears central, large-scale, repeated, or institutionally powerful rather than incidental. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 0 scored entries below, 52 tied, 174 above on Accountability Opacity. Linked evidence The FTC alleged people were often unaware their location data was being purchased and shared by Kochava and had no control over its sale or use. [3]
Identity Capture ? Customer pressure, employee pressure, and pervasive identity saturation. Range: -3 to 0.	-3	The FTC alleged Kochava data could be used to identify and track specific people at sensitive locations, exposing them to stigma, stalking, discrimination, job loss, and physical violence. The FTC alleged Kochava data could be used to identify and track specific people at sensitive locations, exposing them to stigma, stalking, discrimination, job loss, and physical violence. That warrants a severe Identity Capture penalty because users, workers, customers, or publics are pressured into identity attachment that protects institutional power. The value is near the floor because the conduct appears central, large-scale, repeated, or institutionally powerful rather than incidental. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 0 scored entries below, 12 tied, 214 above on Identity Capture. Linked evidence The FTC alleged Kochava data could be used to identify and track specific people at sensitive locations, exposing them to stigma, stalking, discrimination, job loss, and physical violence. [4]
Surveillance Capture ? Invasive surveillance, unreasonably non-optional tracking, facial recognition, biometric identification, or AI behavior scanning of customers, workers, bystanders, or the public. Range: -5 to 0.	-5	The FTC alleged Kochava sold geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could trace people to sensitive locations, describes conduct considered under Surveillance Capture. The FTC alleged Kochava sold geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could trace people to sensitive locations, describes conduct considered under Surveillance Capture. That warrants a severe Surveillance Capture penalty because customers, workers, users, bystanders, or the public are exposed to invasive tracking, biometrics, or behavior scanning. The value is near the floor because the conduct appears central, large-scale, repeated, or institutionally powerful rather than incidental. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 0 scored entries below, 12 tied, 214 above on Surveillance Capture. Linked evidence The FTC alleged Kochava sold geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could trace people to sensitive locations, describes conduct considered under Surveillance Capture. [5]
Ideological Disavowal ? Concealed ideology presented as neutrality, expertise, professional necessity, public-service administration, market inevitability, or non-ideological common sense while exercising power. Range: -3 to 0.	-2	Kochava's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Kochava exercises meaningful institutional or cultural power while strongly presenting contested choices as… Kochava's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Kochava exercises meaningful institutional or cultural power while strongly presenting contested choices as neutral expertise, safety, objectivity, professionalism, administrative necessity, or public service. That warrants a substantial Ideological Disavowal penalty because the institution presents situated, contested choices as neutrality, expertise, inevitability, safety, or common sense. The value is substantial but not at the floor because the linked record shows serious conduct without the strongest aggravating factors on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Ideological Disavowal 0 to -3 recalibration: 0 for explicit standpoint or no penalty-level neutrality theater; -1 for bounded softening of contested choices; -2 for strong neutrality theater by a powerful institution; -3 for major gatekeeping or coercive power presented as neutral, necessary, objective, or non-ideological. Uncertainty This recalibration uses public self-presentation and profile evidence; later review should add direct language-analysis evidence for high-impact institutions. Linked evidence Kochava's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Kochava exercises meaningful institutional or cultural power while strongly presenting contested choices as neutral expertise, safety, objectivity, professionalism, administrative necessity, or public service. [6]

Bonus Credits

No bonus credits applied in this version.

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

Medium 73/100

6 verified linked claims 6 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 6/14 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 18/20

6 verified linked claims

Source quality 17/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 6/18

6 direct claims across 14 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 13, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 4/10

6/14 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessPartial (AI)

Correction routeUse “Challenge this rating” for factual errors, missing counterevidence, source problems, or calculation mistakes.

Company responseCompany representatives can submit source-backed corrections; payment never changes scores or reviewer authority.

Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1Kochava operates a data and measurement business involving mobile device data and advertising analytics.

Market Conduct Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

Kochava websiteGeneral web source · 58%

2The FTC sued Kochava, alleging it sold geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could trace people to sensitive locations including reproductive health clinics, places of worship, shelters, and addiction recovery facilities.

Human Harm Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC v. KochavaPrimary public record · 100%
FTC Kochava press releasePrimary public record · 100%

3The FTC alleged people were often unaware their location data was being purchased and shared by Kochava and had no control over its sale or use.

Accountability Opacity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC Kochava press releasePrimary public record · 100%

4The FTC alleged Kochava data could be used to identify and track specific people at sensitive locations, exposing them to stigma, stalking, discrimination, job loss, and physical violence.

Identity Capture Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC Kochava press releasePrimary public record · 100%

5The FTC alleged Kochava sold geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could trace people to sensitive locations, describes conduct considered under Surveillance Capture.

Surveillance Capture Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC v. KochavaPrimary public record · 100%
FTC Kochava press releasePrimary public record · 100%

6Kochava's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Kochava exercises meaningful institutional or cultural power while strongly presenting contested choices as neutral expertise, safety, objectivity, professionalism, administrative necessity, or public service.

Ideological Disavowal Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 9, 2026

AI scaffold

Kochava official siteGeneral web source · 58%
FTC v. KochavaPrimary public record · 100%
FTC Kochava press releasePrimary public record · 100%

Alternatives

AGOOD55 Signal Foundation nonprofit · same market BQUALIFIED44 Bluesky public-benefit social network company · same market AGOOD59 Matrix.org Foundation open communications foundation · United Kingdom AGOOD50 Ecosia private search company / steward-owned structure · Germany

Competitors

AGOOD55 Signal Foundation nonprofit · same market BQUALIFIED44 Bluesky public-benefit social network company · same market DEXTRACTIVE18 Tumblr Automattic-owned social blogging platform · same market DEXTRACTIVE11 Pinterest public visual discovery and advertising platform · same market DEXTRACTIVE8 Reddit public social-link and discussion platform · same market DEXTRACTIVE2 Alphabet / Google public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE2 Discord private chat and community platform · same market FMALIGNANT-9 Snap / Snapchat public camera and messaging platform · same market

Help Improve This Profile

Submit source-backed evidence or challenge a specific claim, source, axis value, or calculation below.

How This Page Is Maintained

Evidence comes in through contributors, is checked by verifiers, and is synthesized by reviewers. Founder authority remains narrow and visible; scores recalculate when verified claims or the rubric change.

Civic Note

Incorporation, limited liability, market access, and other institutional privileges are public grants. Good Companies Directory treats those privileges as conditional on accountability to workers, users, communities, and the public.

Submit evidence for Kochava Add one source-backed fact for review.

Challenge this rating Point to a specific score, claim, source, or calculation problem.

Audit Log

Recent public changes for this company or group. The full audit log is part of the Transparency record.

May 6, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC ai-scaffolding

Added source-backed tentative evaluation during the A-grade/public-interest and nonobvious extraction expansion pass.

View Full Audit Log