Earlier this week, we reported that ReedPop was under pressure due to its parent company’s connection to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ReedPop manages numerous high profile conventions like New York Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration, PAX, and more.
ReedPop is owned by RELX which also owns LexisNexis which provides services to ICE. LexisNexis is an online system used by many that features various databases including case law, articles, publications, court documents, market intelligence, and more.
LexisNexis has been scrutinized for years over it providing data to ICE that includes addresses, phone numbers, relatives’ names, and more, and used in its actions. In 2019, legal scholars and human rights activists called on the data platform to cease working with ICE due to its use in deporting undocumented immigrants.
Calls have been raised to clarify any use of ReedPop’s data in that deal as well as others calling for boycotts of conventions ReedPop manages. Multiple petitions have been launched concerning the issue asking those who have ReedPop managing their conventions to cut ties with the company. Others have outright said they will not be attending their conventions.
ReedPop has released a statement clarifying it is not them who sell information to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE. It emphasizes that they operate independently.
The statement, which you can read below, was met with mixed reactions. While some accepted it at face value, others pointed out the loopholes in the statement, such as ReedPop not directly selling data/information but what it collects could rollup to its parent company then trickle down through other related companies such as LexisNexis.
In fact, the statement links to ReedPop’s privacy language which states:
Depending on the Service provided, we share personal information with:
Our affiliates, trading names and divisions within the Reed Exhibitions group of companies worldwide (for a list, click here) and certain RELX companies that provide technology, customer service and other shared services functions; and/or
Our service providers, suppliers, agents and representatives, including but not limited to, payment processors, venue providers, onsite event contractors, customer support, email service providers, IT service providers, mailing houses and shipping agents, to process the information as necessary to provide the Service, complete a transaction, fulfil your request, or otherwise on our behalf based on our instructions and in compliance with this privacy policy and any other appropriate confidentiality and security measures.
The statement doesn’t address the fact that by attending a ReedPop convention, attendees, creators, exhibitors are also helping its parent company profit. By boycotting all of RELX’s companies, pressure could be applied to cut all ties by RELX’s companies with ICE.
The statement also does not condemn recent actions by ICE, like the murder of American citizens, or state that it would protect attendees at various conventions.
Check out the full statement below:
We hear you and want to correct some false information that has been circulating on social media.
We at ReedPop do not sell customer information to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ReedPop/RX operates entirely at arm’s length and independently. None of our data is shared for marketing or commercial use by any other entity within our parent company.
We remain committed to creating safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments. Our community is made up of people from different backgrounds and identities. We stand by our principles of inclusion and belonging. We see you, we hear you, and all are welcome here.
If you want more information on how we collect, use, and protect personal data, please see the RX/ReedPop Privacy Policy at privacy.rxglobal.com.
