In the midst of controversy involving CarrierIQ's data collection practices, The Verge interviews Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), whose inquiries increased attention to the matter. Franken, who also chairs the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, has introduced the Location Privacy Protection Act--which would require companies to get express consent before recording or sharing users' location data. He says that "the government has a role in protecting the fundamental rights of its citizens" and has seen "time and time again that companies aren't doing enough to protect consumers' sensitive data." The default for collecting any kind of personal data should be opt-in, Franken says.
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