Following the announcement that Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is asking the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to investigate Apple and Google’s policies for protecting mobile device user’s private data, both companies have apparently agreed to meet with the law maker to discuss the issue.
The Senator asked for the investigation following a report that app developers have access to user’s photo libraries without first asking for consent. That access gives them the ability to upload photos from the mobile devices to their own servers, although there aren’t any reports of that actually happening.
Senator Schumer: Apple & Google are meeting with me to talk mobile privacy
That report followed news that some app developers have been uploading user’s address book contacts to their own servers without express consent.
Sen. Schumer said both Apple and Google have been open to discussion the potential privacy issue. “We asked them if they could find a way on their own to prevent apps from having access to private info,” he told the New York Times. “They were friendly and open to the idea that this ought to be changed.”
He added that it’s likely mobile device privacy issues like this can be addresses without required Federal oversight or regulations, although those are options if necessary.
Apple and Google have not yet responded to The Mac Observer to confirm that they are working with Sen. Schumer to resolve the issue.