Senator Al Franken (D. MN) has earned the term "privacy hawk" for his ongoing efforts to protect consumers privacy from large corporations. Here's some erie news that has caught Franken's attention:
http://www.adweek.com/...
Euclid, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based start-up that tracks consumer shopping habits in stores via their WiFi enabled smart phones has run smack dab into the ongoing privacy debate in Washington about whether consumers should have to opt-out of being tracked or whether companies should ask permission first.
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), one of the leading privacy hawks in Congress, is a big proponent of the philosophy that consumers should be asked if they want to be tracked before companies track them without their knowledge.
In a letter to Euclid CEO Will Smith, Franken pressed the company to obtain permission
from consumers before tracking them in stores, "especially in the offline world where they are less likely to expect it," Franken wrote Wednesday. "Recent news reports suggest that Euclid's technology has tracked 50 million unique smart phones or other WiFi enabled devices.... I find this troubling." - AdWeek, 3/13/13
Here's a little background on Euclid:
http://thinkprogress.org/...
Euclid doesn’t disclose who their clients are online (although they claim “Top 100 retailers in numerous categories, including specialty apparel, department stores, auto parts and home improvement” as clients), and the only notice consumers get is a vague sign hidden somewhere in the physical store, meaning consumer data is collected largely without their knowledge or consent. And while the MAC data is relatively anonymous, it’s also a unique ID — and the only way to opt out is giving Euclid your MAC address, thus identifying yourself.
Euclid raised $17 million in venture funds earlier this year and have information on over 50 million mobile devices right now. Considering that there are 114 million people in the U.S. using smart phones, that’s a pretty large segment of the consumer audience — large enough to garner interest from at least one senator: In a statement yesterday, Franken expressed concerned about the privacy implications of the system:
“It’s one thing to track someone’s shopping habits through a loyalty card or credit card purchase; folks understand that their information may be collected. It’s another thing entirely to track consumers’ movements without their permission as they shop, especially when someone doesn’t buy anything or even enter a store. People have a fundamental right to privacy, and I think neglecting to ask consumers for their permission to track them violates that right.” - Think Progress, 3/15/13
Euclid will have until April 1st to answer 16 questions Franken has presented the company and will post their answers on their website.
In June of 2011, Franken introduced the Location Privacy Act that would require companies to get permission from users before collecting their location information. You can read the bill here:
http://www.govtrack.us/...
It failed to make it to the Senate floor in 2011 but late last year it passed the Senate Judiciary Committee late last year. If you'd like to get more information on the bill and how you can help build more momentum for it, feel free to contact Senator Franken's office to get more information:
202-224-5641
And if you would like to donate to Franken's re-election campaign, you can do so here:
https://secure.actblue.com/...
And in related news, Senator Franken introduced a bill that makes cell phone transferring easier:
http://www.wday.com/...
The bi-partisan backed bill would let you keep your phone when you switch providers. Franken says it's a common sense solution, giving people their freedom of choice back.
Currently you can "not" take your phone and switch to another provider at a cheaper price.
Franken says, "It's the way it's been since we had cellphones and smart phones. It's just that the Library of Congress changed it and Congress can change it back and we're going to do it."
So what's the penalty for breaking the law? Senator Franken says it could put you behind bars for up to five years. The bill is set to be vote on in the upcoming weeks. - WDAY News 6, 3/13/13
You can also contact Franken's office about more information about that bill and to get your Senator to become a co-sponsor.