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By SecureWorld News Team
Wed | Jul 11, 2018 | 6:45 AM PDT

The Congressional Committee on Energy and Commerce fired off letters this week to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Larry Page.

We just finished reading the letters, and they leave one wondering if privacy is a mirage and perhaps impossible in 2018.

Are we being constantly tracked and listened to even if we think we're not?

Congress demands information from Apple CEO Tim Cook

The letter from Congress to Apple on July 9, 2018, explains its focus like this:

"Recent reports have also suggested that smartphone devices can, and in some instances, do, collect 'non-triggered' audio data from users conversations near a smartphone in order to hear a 'trigger' phrase, such as 'hey Siri.' It has also been suggested that third party applications have access to and use this 'non-triggered' data without adequate disclosure to users."

It goes on to launch dozens of questions around third-party data use and collection at Apple.

Congress demands information from CEO of Alphabet Larry Page

Data collection is the focus of the letter from Congress to Google's parent company Alphabet. However, the particular line of questioning is quite different than the letter to Apple. Congress explains its Alphabet letter focus like this:

"According to media reports published in November 2017, Android phones collect information on nearby cellular towers even if location services, WiFi, and Bluetooth capabilities are disables, no third-party appas are installed or running and the phones lack subscriber identification module (SIM) cards."

It goes on to ask about Gmail scanning, third-party users of app data in the Google Play Store, and more. 

Read the letters for yourself

2018 Letter from Congress to Apple and Tim Cook

2018 Letter from Congress to Alphabet and Larry Page

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