Digital privacy advocates are up in arms over the recently publicized discovery that Apple allegedly keeps close, secretive tabs on where you and your iPhone go.
Security researchers Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden found that the iPhone maintains a location log that includes longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates and even a timestamp.
Whenever the iPhone is synced to the computer, a new log file is allegedly created.
So how can Apple get away with this? Simply put, iPhone owners agree to be tracked in the fine print of Apple’s “terms and conditions” document.
Given the obvious privacy concerns that have been raised about this development, several prominent US lawmakers are hot on the case and pressing Apple – the iPhone maker – for some answers.
On Thursday, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) got involved.
The two well-known senators want Apple to address these concerns immediately. Franken, in particular, drafted a letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
“There are numerous ways in which this information could be abused by criminals and bad actors,” Franken stated in the letter. “Furthermore, there is no indication that this file is any different for underage iPhone or iPad users, meaning that the millions of children and teenagers who use iPhone or iPad devices also risk having their location collected and compromised.”
Apple is yet to formally comment on the matter.
