Democratic senators from Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont and New Jersey sent letters to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook, asking them to limit the amount of data apps on their platforms can collect to help others seeking abortions.
“After the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade. Wade,” the senators say (Opens in new window), “we are involved in anti-abortion prosecutors and others possibly attempting to exploit non-public information, adding insights related to location, online activity, fitness, and biometrics, in a way that threatens the well-being of those exercising their right to choose. “
Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent the letters to Pichai and Cook on May 27. The cards are the same for express references. a Google Play Store and App Store.
Senators warn that “if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, anti-abortion prosecutors, and even vigilantes could exploit online knowledge extraction from apps ” on corporate platforms ” to prevent Americans from accessing abortion or to attack them retrospectively. “”They need Pichai and Cook to protect their users through the extraction of this knowledge.
These promises may become important if Roe v. Wade. Motherboard reported in May that data brokers were selling data about other people attending abortion clinics (Opens in new window), one of which provides “heat maps” (Opens in new window) of where other people live and who uses was tracking. applications (Opens in new window). Some have stopped selling this knowledge (Opens in a new window) when they are in a hurry, but others continue to sell it.
“Information about the app’s users’ fertility, browsing history indicating an interest in birth control, or location data indicating that a user has consulted a gynecologist may be just a mine of knowledge for actors attempting to attack, intimidate, and harm others seeking an abortion. or other people who simply take steps to publicize their reproductive health,” the senators say.
Markey, Warren, Sanders and Booker asked Pichai and Cook to answer a series of seven questions related to their platforms’ policies and enforcement by June 17. None of the companies responded to a request for comment.
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I’ve been writing about technology, adding everything from privacy and security to customer electronics and startups, since 2011 for a number of posts.
I have a knack for identifying emerging trends, a penchant for learning new things, and a lot of opinions. This mix lends itself well to security policy, bizarre technologies, and the latest news; Review of mice, keyboards and other practical products. and laugh as much as you can imagine in the process.
I write a lot about my MacBook Air, the maximum of my professional readings on an iPad Pro, and too many emails on an iPhone SE (2020) that I hate. Most of my procrastination is on a traditional PC running Windows 11 among my attempts to use Linux on the desktop or on a Nintendo Switch. But my favorite generation is my Apple Watch SE, as it helps me monitor my fitness and provides me with a flashlight on my wrist for midnight trips to other parts of my house. (Ahem. )