(Image source: The Bristol Bulletin)

BY STEPHANIE STOUFFER
ANCHOR ALEX ROZIER

You're watching multisource tech video news analysis from Newsy.

Apple and Google are on the defense -- the two tech giants appeared before a U.S. Senate subcommittee to defend their tracking methods in an attempt to both their names.

Senator Al Franken addressed executives from both companies on what rights he thinks consumers should have.

“I believe that consumers have a fundamental right to know what data is being collected about them. I also believe they have a right to decide whether they want to share that information, and with whom they want to share it and when.”

Apple’s representative at the hearing, Guy “Bud” Tribble and Google’s rep Alan Davidson, plainly stated that neither company tracks user’s locations... without their consent.

TRIBBLE: “Apple does not track users locations. Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so.”
DAVIDSON: “At Google we have made our mobile location services opt-in only, treating this information with the highest degree of care.”

But since the debate started, both Google and Apple have made changes to their information-storing processes -- shortening the storage time to just seven days. MacWorld reports...

“[Apple] released iOS 4.3.3 which patched a pair of bugs relating to location data: one that reduced the amount of data being stored … another that deleted the cache of location data when the device’s location services were deactivated.”

And now GigaOm asks, what’s the next step in mobile privacy?

“Platforms need to take adequate steps to make absolutely clear … what information is being gathered … This is likely only the opening salvo of a long and drawn-out process that will ultimately affect how users, platform providers and app developers treat mobile data.”

And deputy director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection told the Wall Street Journal, it’s all hands on deck to find a solution that keeps tech users safe.

“‘We're moving forward rapidly and devoting resources to keep track with new technologies,’ … the new technologies don't change companies responsibilities to ensure ‘that consumers understand and control data collection and that their information doesn't fall into the wrong hands.’”

Both Apple and Google have said they do not monitor privacy policies of third party companies that develop apps for their devices.

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Transcript by Newsy.