Data Broker Radaris Loses Domains in Landmark Privacy Case
Court orders transfer of Radaris domains after repeated violations of New Jersey's Daniel's Law.
1Legal action against Radaris
Atlas Data Privacy Corp sued Radaris in February 2024 for violating Daniel's Law, a New Jersey statute protecting law enforcement officials' privacy. The law mandates $1,000 fines per violation when data brokers ignore removal requests. Radaris allegedly published personal information on protected individuals despite multiple removal requests.
2Domain transfer ordered
After Radaris attorneys repeatedly delayed proceedings, a judge ordered the transfer of radaris.com and over a dozen sister domains to Atlas. The court found Radaris had engaged in stonewalling tactics and failed to properly defend against the allegations. This marks a significant enforcement of Daniel's Law against a major data broker.
3Shell company tactics
Radaris employed complex corporate structures across jurisdictions like the Marshall Islands and British Virgin Islands to evade accountability. Atlas investigators discovered newly claimed managing entities didn't exist. The company frequently changed ownership structures when legal pressure mounted, a pattern Atlas documented through 10,000+ obtained emails.
4Financial operations exposed
Court documents reveal Radaris.com generated approximately $42,000 monthly, while sister site Veripages.com earned $45,000 through partnerships. The network also profited $25,000 monthly from Onerep, a service claiming to help remove personal data - despite Onerep's founder operating competing people-search sites.
5Questionable ownership claims
Radaris co-founders Igor and Dmitry Lubarsky, Russian-born Massachusetts residents, operated multiple people-search and Russian dating services. They used a fictitious CEO name 'Gary Norden' in press releases and investor materials. Attorneys alternately claimed Ukrainian ownership when challenged about their Russian origins.
6Legal history of evasion
Radaris temporarily lost a 2017 class action by default but regained its domain by arguing the suit didn't name the actual owner (Cyprus-based Bitseller Expert Limited). The company then shifted operations to Marshall Islands-based Andtop Company. This pattern of jurisdictional shifting characterized their legal strategy for years.
7Broader industry implications
Atlas has sued 150 data brokers under Daniel's Law, with 70 cases moved to federal court challenging the statute's constitutionality. The Third Circuit hasn't ruled, but appeals to the Supreme Court are expected. Meanwhile, 14 states have enacted similar laws, though West Virginia's version was recently ruled unconstitutional.
8Federal privacy law vacuum
Privacy expert Justin Sherman notes comprehensive federal privacy legislation remains blocked by tech industry lobbying. Current state laws exempt most public records, creating loopholes data brokers exploit. The recent IDScan.net breach exposing 153 million driver's licenses highlights risks of unregulated personal data handling.
9Enforcement challenges persist
While New Jersey's action against Radaris sets a precedent, collecting from foreign entities remains difficult. Radaris attorneys continue fighting the domain transfer, arguing procedural errors. The case demonstrates both the possibilities and limitations of state-level privacy law enforcement against international data brokers.
10Future of data regulation
The Radaris case exemplifies tensions between privacy rights and data broker business models. As more states consider Daniel's Law variants, the lack of federal standards creates patchwork enforcement. The eventual Supreme Court ruling on these laws could reshape the $200+ billion data broker industry's operating landscape.
Original article: Krebs on Security — Data Broker Radaris Loses Domains in Landmark Privacy Case