Joe Mullin: "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." [Ars]

  • Halloween_Jack

    Uh… my phone (iPhone) does that already. And as long as Al Franken is being concerned about cyber-rights, has he taken a pledge not to support a SOPA/PIPA-type bill in the future?

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Drop/100000929402049 Robert Drop

      Yeah, I don’t get it.  Do Android, Windoze phones, etc. not do that?  Or is the law insisting that each and every time the app collects location data it needs the OK (in which case it would seriously break a bunch of apps)?  If it’s just a single up-front “ok” then presumably when the stalker installs the app, they also give permission.  

      • oasisob1

        GPS apps would suddenly start to really really suck.

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Drop/100000929402049 Robert Drop

          Yeah, and some wouldn’t actually work at all, like apps that rely on geo-fenced triggers for notifications and content delivery.

  • Marc45

    At least someone is looking out for our privacy.  It must feel lonely being Al Franken in a sea of bought and paid for politicians.