It got approved because the FCC, as a regulatory body, has no teeth. The largest-ever fine issued by the FCC was $120 million. Their attorneys probably put th

It got approved because the FCC, as a regulatory body, has no teeth. The largest-ever fine issued by the FCC was $120 million. Their attorneys probably put the total regulatory risk of non-compliance at around $1 million. According to the article they were charging up to $1,100 per phone for the location data. So if they sold data on 1,000 customers they're in the black on the program even after they deal with the regulatory "headache."