The National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) recalls the rules applicable to the collection and use of geolocation data by mobile applications, as well as best practices for users.

The CNIL emphasizes that mobile applications use geolocation not only to provide services but also as a business model, notably for advertising targeting. Investigations have revealed massive circulation of this data, often collected without users being fully aware and resold by data brokers. These practices allow the reconstruction of precise movement histories, raising questions of compliance with the regulation. Location data are personal data, sometimes sensitive, as they can reveal information about a person's habits, frequented places, or beliefs and enable re-identification, even when associated with a simple technical identifier.

To control their data, the CNIL recommends that users adopt several reflexes: activate geolocation only when the application is in use, consult privacy policies before installation, regularly check granted permissions, and limit advertising tracking by resetting the advertising identifier. The authority reminds that data subjects must first exercise their rights of access, rectification, deletion, or withdrawal of consent directly with the application publisher. In the absence of a satisfactory response within one month, a complaint can be filed with the CNIL.