Sears, FTC to settle personal data allegations

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The Federal Trade Commission is announcing a preliminary settlement with retailer Sears Holdings.

The agency said Thursday that it alleged Sears didn’t disclose the scope of personal information it collected from a “small” group of consumers. The settlement isn’t an admission that the retailer broke any laws.

At issue was software Sears paid online shoppers to download two years ago while its Kmart and Sears chains were studying online shopping behavior.

The software recorded all of a participant’s Web use and monitored secure online transactions.

If the settlement is finalized, Sears will have to destroy information obtained through the software and “clearly and prominently” disclose the scope of future monitoring.