Senator asks FTC to investigate Apple and Android about apps that misappropriate data
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Senator Schumer added that to his understanding, using apps to collect information without permission would violate the Terms of Service for both Apple and Android platforms and took a little hit at both Apple and Google by saying that he is not sure how these TOS are being monitored and enforced. The politician said that smartphone makers have an obligation to protect its customers private data. "Smartphone makers should be required to put in place safety measures to ensure third party applications are not able to violate a user's personal privacy by stealing photographs or data that the user did not consciously decide to make public," the Senator said, "When someone takes a private photo, on a private cell phone, it should remain just that: private."
source: Reuters
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10 Comments
1. Droid800 posted on 05 Mar 2012, 00:12 0 3
Doesn't iOS prompt the user on whether to share the data though?
2. bayhuy posted on 05 Mar 2012, 00:55 3 2
It has become fashionable these days to talk about privacy protection...even if you do not know what that means ...
3. android_hitman posted on 05 Mar 2012, 01:36 1 2
it's called political advertisement and it's FREE :D
4. Leo_MC posted on 05 Mar 2012, 02:15 1 1
Let users the power to change every permission given to each app (just as Blackberry users) and there should be no more problem with the privacy.
7. Leo_MC posted on 05 Mar 2012, 09:37 0 0
To the one that gave a thumbs down: we must understand that you think BB users are stupid?
8. bayusuputra posted on 05 Mar 2012, 10:37 0 0
agree to this.. if let's say an app requires access to personal data, we should be able to block it.. or at least moderate it.. i may be irritated by pop ups that ask for permissions to allow apps to retrieve something, but at least i would know what are the things that are being extracted, and also the option to deny it, although that may cause the app to misbehave.. if google allow this, they won't need to enforce protocols like the app store does, but it will be up to the end user itself to actually choose whatever they deem correct.. and google will still be able to protect the end customers as this feature is a kind of preventive measure but one that leaves the user as the final decision maker.. it's just like rooting, you get warranty and all its benefits, you are free to root your device as and when you want it, but if you do, you are on your own, do it at your own risk..
5. PAPINYC (limited) 5 days ago posted on 05 Mar 2012, 03:47 0 3
You know, I'm a New Yorker born and UES (Upper East Side) raised, I wish that this knum-nut dork would take a bottle rocket up to his bûtt høle. He's always got that big snozzle stuck where it doesn't belong. He wants to ban energy drinks. He wants to ban those new caffeine inhalers.
He wants to ban this, he wants to ban that. Now, he wants to monitor Smartphone manufacturers and companies that write the mobile platforms. Firstly, both Android and iOS have "opt out" options and privacy settings that can be user-defined. Secondly, I bet that queen still has a flip phone and wouldn't know how to use a smartphone, even if it tied him up and strapped him in black leather (which I'm sure he fancies).
Why doesn't good ole meddlesome woodChuck Charles do something about all of those unnecessary taxes, fees and surcharges on wireless communications services, i.e., mobile phones and mobile devices??
Whatta' ya' say to that Chucky???
6. tward291 posted on 05 Mar 2012, 06:46 0 0
i would assume that you would stick to the market place for both these platforms if 3 rd party apps are doing this
9. bayusuputra posted on 05 Mar 2012, 10:39 0 0
he said that private pictures should remain that; private..
i guess i understand that..
(evil face)
LOL..
