Sen Franken takes aim at 'stalker apps'

Sen Al Franken (D-MN) wants to keep mobile apps from secretly tracking users. "Right now, companies -- some legitimate, some not -- are collecting your location and giving it to whomever they want," he said. Sen Franken, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Privacy, introduced an updated version of his Location Privacy Protection Act, which would require companies to get users' permission before collecting or sharing location information from their smartphones, tablets and in-car navigation systems. In 2012, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed Franken's original bill. The new bill, which is backed by Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), would require companies collecting location information from more than 1,000 devices to disclose their data collection and sharing practices. It would also ban "stalker apps," which are designed to collect and share a user's location information without that user knowing. If enacted, the bill would allow law enforcement officials to seize proceeds from the creation and sale of such apps and redirect the proceeds to anti-stalking organizations.