Al franken today demanded answers from carrier iq about what kind of data its software for smartphones collects and how it is used and stored. Carrier iq faces federal probe into allegations software. Senator al franken asked software maker carrier iq to respond to claims that its products collect and transmit potentially sensitive mobile phone data. Al franken stepped in and wrote a public letter to carrier iqs chief. The verge asked senator al franken about privacy, carrier iq, and how to protect consumers rights in a connected world. Us senator demands privacy info from software firm reuters. Meanwhile, senator frankens office on thursday sent a letter to carrier iq demanding to know what information the software records, what is transmitted to ciq or other companies, what kind of. Carrier iq, a small silicon valley software company with its product installed on millions of cell phones, made headlines when a young programmer posted a video allegedly showing the softwares. What does carrier iq do on my phoneand should i care. Carrier iq defends handset software fiercewireless. The company says that its software is deployed in over 150 million devices worldwide. Us senator demands answers from carrier iq the register.
Carrier iq software collects massive data from these devices, then correlates and aggregates the data for near realtime system monitoring and business intelligence. Franken acted after security researcher trevor eckhart claimed carrier iqs software appears to act as a root kit that can log keystrokes even from encrypted pages, and the content of text. Senator al franken, a democrat from minnesota, fired off a letter to carrier iq on thursday demanding answers. Carrier iq, founded in mountain view, california, six. Senator al franken gives carrier iq two weeks to explain. On thursday, minnesota senator al franken wrote a letter to carrier iq ceo larry lenhart, asking him to spell out exactly what sort of data his software is collecting. Senator al franken demands carrier iq explain its software.
The carrier has disabled carrier iqs software and reportedly instructed all of its hardware partners to no longer build the software into sprint handsets. Senator al franken dmn published a letter to carrier iq on thursday saying hes very. Responses to carrier iq privacy questions draw senators. Franken requested data from carrier iq, manufacturers and carriers after public outcry over the mobile tracking software and allegations of keylogging. In a letter sent thursday to carrier iq president larry lenhart, franken asked for an explanation of what the companys software records, whether it transmits data to a third party and whether the data presents any security or privacy risks. Al franken dminnesota wants handset manufacturers and mobile carriers to explain what user data is being vacuumed to carrier iq, whose software is. Heres the letter senator al franken just sent to phone. Franken s letter was addressed to carrier iq ceo larry lenhart, who joined the company just three months ago. Franken said he is very concerned by reports that the software is logging and may. The carrier iq app is accused of recording everything that consumers do on their smartphones, including calls and text messages.
Senator and former latenight funnyman al franken has called on carrier iq to explain why its diagnostic software, buried in the bowels of 141 million smartphones, isnt a massive violation of us. The carrier iq scandal has drawn the ire of at least one lawmaker. Al franken on thursday sent a letter to the company, demanding answers to a series of questions about the software and its capabilities. Carrier iq data logging controversy prompts scrutiny from. Al franken first asked carrier iq some pointed questions. Senator franken asks cell companies how they use carrier iq. Franken has accused software company carrier iq of violating cell. Frankens letter was addressed to carrier iq ceo larry lenhart, who joined the company just three months ago. Carrier iq responded to senator frankens request with a 19page document outlining how its software works and how it can be used to assist mobile providers in operating their networks. Franken acted after security researcher trevor eckhart claimed carrier iq s software appears to act as a root kit that can log keystrokes even from encrypted pages, and the content of text. Carrier iq and the us escalating privacy risk level. Carrier iq tuesday also released a detailed report into exactly which types of data its software collected, and noted that all data points were. Carrier iq called out by senator al franken slashgear.
Carrier iq was a privately owned mobile software company founded in 2005 in sunnyvale, california. Senator al franken wants answers from companies who install carrier iq software on smartphones thursday, december 1, 2011 11. Franken demands answers on secret cellphone tracking. Software maker carrier iq says the software is designed to give carriers usage and other stats so they can improve the network and service.
Mobile carriers claim consumer consent to carrier iq. Al franken dmn has sent a letter to carrier iq asking the company to explain what its software records are and what they contain, how files are transmitted, and how the data is protected. Senator presses wireless providers for carrier iq answers. Carrier iq, mobile services grilled over spyware charges. So on thursday, senator al franken sent an open letter to carrier iqs president and chief executive larry lenhart with a list of pointed questions about what exactly carrier iq does. Senate gives carrier iq until december 14th to address. Carrier iq, founded in mountain view, california, six years ago, has also. Consumers need to know that their safety and privacy are being protected by the companies they trust with their sensitive information, said sen franken. Frankens letter to the ceo of carrier iq, michael lenhart, claims that the companies software may be in direct violation of federal law and are a serious matter that needs prompt answering. The carrier iq executives also met with the staffs of three senators richard blumenthal dconn. The company says that its software is deployed in over 150 million devices. Senator al franken sends public letter to carrier iq.
Carrier iq is under fire for logging and transmitting extremely sensitive data from users phones without their knowledge. The software, called carrier iq and manufactured by a company of the same name, has been described as hard to detect, hard to remove, and programmed to run by default without the users knowledge. Sprint reveals it has carrier iq on 26 million phones. Franken said the software s capabilities may violate federal laws. Tmobile, which has acknowledged using the software, and motorola are expected to respond to frankens inquiry by dec.
The scandal escalated last week when senator al franken sent a letter to carrier iq asking for details about the software and the companys. Senator demands privacy info from software firm fox business. Senator al franken, chairman of the senate subcommittee on privacy, technology and law, sent a letter to carrier iq on thursday asking the company to address a. When franken pressed on, trying to clarify the question, it was abundantly obvious how unpracticed mueller was at using carrier iq to mean the software.
T, sprint, htc, and samsung have sent the list of all the phones with carrier iq spyware installed in them. Al franken dminn for more details on how they use carrier iq software in its letter to franken, tmobile revealed that it uses. Tmobile, which has acknowledged using the software, and motorola are expected to respond to franken s inquiry by dec. The complete list of all the phones with carrier iq. Motorola and tmobile responded tuesday to requests from sen. Following a blitz of media coverage over the past couple days regarding tracking software carrier iq being deployed on select sprint smartphones, senator al franken is. But it appears that carrier iqs software captures a broad swath of extremely sensitive information from users that would appear to have nothing. Al franken has written to carrier iq demanding answers on whether its software goes too far in logging the. Al franken calls on carrier iq to explain mobile tracking.
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