Facebook, Apple, Google to Face U.S. Lawmakers on Mobile Privacy
The Senate Commerce Committee announced that representatives from Facebook Inc., Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Google Inc. (GOOG) have agreed to answer questions about how companies collect and use consumer data on mobile devices.
The hearing, which will be held May 19, will focus on the government’s possible role “in protecting consumers in the mobile marketplace and promoting their privacy,” according to a news release today from Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat who is chairman of the committee.
The witness list includes Bret Taylor, Facebook’s chief technology officer; Catherine Novelli, vice president of worldwide government affairs for Apple; and Alan Davidson, director of public policy for Google.
This will be the second time Apple and Google have appeared before Congress this month. Executives from the two companies testified May 10 about mobile privacy at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing chaired by Senator Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat.
At that hearing, the companies, makers of software used in millions of smartphones, defended their handling of user location data and said they do not track individual customers. Apple, Google and other companies use location data to deliver targeted advertising and help customers find nearby businesses.
To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Engleman in Washington at eengleman1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Allan Holmes at aholmes25@bloomberg.net
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