Senate Hearing Reflects Increasing Focus on Mobile Privacy and Consumer Protection

This article discusses the May 19, 2011 Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance hearing on the growing concern for protecting consumer privacy in the mobile marketplace. The hearing, ​“Consumer Privacy and Protection in the Mobile Marketplace,” discussed the risks smart phone and mobile applications have created in the wake of providers collecting personal information without privacy policies or consumer consent. The authors summarize testimonies from two panels of witnesses, offering perspectives from government, industry and consumer representatives, each addressing varying concerns.

For more information on mobile privacy, view and listen to a recording of Kelley Drye & Warren’s May 16, 2011 Webinar entitled ​“Mobile Applications: Privacy and Data Security Considerations.”