‘Security Products,’ ‘Word Seeks’ Publishers Hit with Privacy Class Actions in Michigan

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The publishers of the magazines Security Products and Word Seeks have each been hit with a proposed class action over their alleged practice of exchanging, renting or otherwise disclosing without consent subscriber data to third parties who in turn shared the information with others. 

The 25-page lawsuits respectively allege 1105 Media, Inc. and Penny Publications, LLC have violated the Michigan Preservation of Personal Privacy Act (MPPPA), and caused proposed class members to receive “a barrage of unwanted junk mail” by disclosing individualized and demographic data that was then shared with “aggressive advertisers, political organizations, and non-profit companies.” 

The publishers are among the latest to face putative class action litigation alleging they’ve handled magazine subscribers’ private reading information, including home addresses, titles of publications they subscribe to, and myriad other demographic details, in a manner contrary to what’s permissible under the MPPPA. By renting, exchanging or otherwise disclosing, rather than selling, subscribers’ information, the publishers are “able to disclose the information time and time again to countless third parties,” the cases allege. 

Per the suits, list broker NextMark offers to provide renters with access to mailing lists containing the private reading information of hundreds of thousands of Security Products and Word Seeks subscribers. Each list makes subscriber data available for either $0.10 or $.235 cents apiece, the cases claim, alleging the companies make subscriber data available as a way to supplement their revenues. 

The alleged disclosure of subscriber data by 1105 Media and Penny Publications is particularly dangerous in that it allows for the targeting of certain members of society, the lawsuits contend: 

“For example, anyone could buy a customer list provided by 1105 Media that contains the names and addresses of all software engineers with authority to purchase software who have over 100 work colleagues, use Microsoft Windows, live in Detroit, Michigan, and subscribe to Security Products magazine. Such a list is available for sale on the open market for approximately $345.00 per thousand subscribers listed.” 

The suits go on to allege the defendants’ respective disclosures of subscriber data are particularly dangerous to the elderly in that older Americans are often deliberate targets of fraudsters. 

“Indeed, an entire black market exists where the private information of vulnerable elderly Americans is exchanged,” the cases claim. 

The lawsuits look to represent Security Products and Word Seeks subscribers who, at any point prior to July 30, 2016, had their private reading information disclosed to third parties without consent. 

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