• Senator Al Franken Demands Answers From Carriers, Phone Makers About Carrier IQ Use

    by
    Phillip Swanson
    Published on 2011-12-06 05:14 PM
    7 Comments Comments



    Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, who happens to head the Senate Security Panel, continues to hold no punches in his effort to get to the bottom of the Carrier IQ debacle.

    Franken sent a letter to Carrier IQ earlier in the week asking Carrier IQ to specifically state what data are logged, what data are transmitted and whether or not they believe they operate in accordance with federal privacy laws forbidding wiretapping. Franken has now sent a similar letter to HTC, Samsung, AT&T, and Sprint Nextel.

    In the letter Franken asks the companies to disclose how they’re using Carrier IQ and precisely what data they are collecting. The companies have till December 14 to reply. None of the companies are legally bound to reply, but it is customary to do so. Sprint and AT&T are the only companies to acknowledge they currently use Carrier IQ to improve network stability and improve the customer experience, but they maintain they do not log any photos, messages, or other personal content on the phone. RIM has outright denied they use the software, and so has Verizon. HTC claims a number of carriers require the Carrier IQ software be installed on handsets working on their networks.

    No matter the response, it appears carriers and manufacturers alike are attempting to distance themselves from Carrier IQ. Apple has already stated they no longer use Carrier IQ and all instances of the software will be removed via an update soon. Still, that hasn't prevented Apple from being the subject of a Carrier IQ class action lawsuit filed yesterday. Hopefully Senator Frankens inquiries will bring some answers to the privacy questions every cell phone owner has the right to know.

    Source: CNET
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Senator Al Franken Demands Answers From Carriers, Phone Makers About Carrier IQ Use started by Phillip Swanson View original post
    1. Categories:
    2. iPhone,
    3. iOS,
    4. Apple,
    5. Mac,
    6. iPad
    Comments 7 Comments
    1. ohthatguyagain's Avatar
      ohthatguyagain - 2011-12-06, 11:27 PM
      I can just hear the Apple rep's response, standing on the floor before congress. "no, we do not track individual's data, and um, Mr. Franken, sir, .... Your secret is safe with us..."
    1. iZangetsu's Avatar
      iZangetsu - 2011-12-07, 12:57 AM
      I wonder if that's something that can be disabled or blocked with a jailbreak tweak? Come on coders, do your stuff! Make it, and make it compatible all around and a fair price and I'm definitely a customer!
    1. metaserph's Avatar
      metaserph - 2011-12-07, 01:11 AM
      Since we know the daemon name that calls the routine can't we just delete it? In addition, it was mentioned that going to Settings/General/About/Diagnostics & Usage, select Don't Send stops the function. imo this would solve the issue.
    1. iZangetsu's Avatar
      iZangetsu - 2011-12-07, 04:54 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by metaserph View Post
      Since we know the daemon name that calls the routine can't we just delete it? In addition, it was mentioned that going to Settings/General/About/Diagnostics & Usage, select Don't Send stops the function. imo this would solve the issue.
      But thats the whole point they're saying that it's collecting data whether you disable it or not from when you turn your device on to the time you turn it off no off switch it logs any and everything you do with your device music, vids, pics, calls, text, emails, searches, games, etc.
      Once your device is on it's collecting and sending everything you do and where you do it even with location service off.
    1. dykzebr's Avatar
      dykzebr - 2011-12-07, 08:53 AM
      A lot of typos in this article, but this would explain how apple produces a jailbreak block so fast if they collect data for 3 mos they have plenty of time to develop a code block. Who knows what info is shared, a risk we take that we shouldn't.
    1. hxclos's Avatar
      hxclos - 2011-12-07, 11:01 AM
      There is another article on CNET that claims there is no evidence of key logging. Still, other questions regarding privacy have yet to be answered.
    1. jwil736's Avatar
      jwil736 - 2011-12-07, 05:16 PM
      This would explain how carriers know if your tethering or not.

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