Rental platform unnecessarily collected the data of millions of Australians, privacy commissioner finds
Summary
Australia’s privacy commissioner found that the rental platform 2Apply collected too much personal data from users, which put renters at risk amid the housing crisis. The commissioner ordered 2Apply to stop collecting unnecessary information and expects other rental platforms to follow suit.Key Facts
- 2Apply processed over 8.5 million rental applications in Australia by March 2025.
- The privacy commissioner identified that 2Apply collected unnecessary details like gender, student and bankruptcy status, and visa expiry dates.
- The platform also used language that pressured users to share more data by suggesting it would improve their rental chances.
- 2Apply agreed to change its data collection practices without admitting wrongdoing.
- There is a power imbalance in the rental market favoring landlords and agents, making renters vulnerable.
- The over-collection of data creates privacy and security risks for renters.
- The commissioner expects other rental technology platforms to reduce excessive data collection as a result of this ruling.
- Over 57 rental platforms operate in Australia, highlighting a widespread issue in the rental market.
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