The FTC's message is clear. Just because data has been hashed does not mean it is anonymous. Hashing has often been touted as a way to protect user privacy... However, the FTC warns that this is a flawed assumption. Hashes still serve as unique identifiers that track individuals across platforms and over time. Their misuse leads to significant privacy risks and harm.
FTC staff will remain vigilant to ensure companies are following the law and take action when the privacy claims they make are deceptive. Many adtech companies may claim that re-identifying a user from hashed data is nearly impossible... this assumption is false: Users can be reidentified... the government doesn't see hashing as sufficient.
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