House GOP Tackles Smart Phone Privacy Concerns

Republicans can generally be counted on to support deregulation. But when it comes to the companies involved with smart phones, House Republicans are proving themselves to be advocates of consumer privacy, The Hill reports.

At a hearing Monday, five Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including Chairman Fred Upton, expressed concern about recent news reports showing that major tech companies gather, store and sometimes transmit information about the exact location of smart phone users.

The Republicans queried officials of Google, Apple, Research in Motion, Nokia and Hewlett Packard about their privacy policies in letters sent Monday. Several House Republicans say the government may have to step in to protect consumer privacy on high-technology devices.