Ars Technica: Senate committee votes to ban “stalker apps”

If a bill being pushed by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) becomes law, mobile apps will have to ask a smartphone user’s permission before they use any locational information. Many popular apps already do that, but Franken’s bill would make it a legal requirement.

The proposal passed an important hurdle today, as the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance the bill. Some commercial interests, including a major software group, have opposed the bill. So far committee Republicans have been receptive to their complaints.

However, today’s vote showed both Republicans and Democrats on the committee appear to be united on one issue—that so-called “stalker apps” need to be banned. The senior Republican on the committee, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), said he supports the parts of the bill banning these apps, but is concerned about other parts of the bill, The Hill reported today.

© U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website, 2012. |
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