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FTC Investigating Carrier IQ's Data-Collection Practices

Carrier IQ's initial failure to fully detail what its software did, and why, had led many to question whether its software might be breaking wiretap or privacy laws

Dec 15, 2011 | 02:02 PM | 

By Mathew J. Schwartz, InformationWeek
Special to Dark Reading

Carrier IQ is reportedly facing a federal probe over allegations that its monitoring software collected smartphone data and transmitted it to carriers without consumers' knowledge.

Government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity since any investigation would be private, confirmed that the Federal Trade Commission has begun an inquiry into Carrier IQ, reported The Washington Post. The FTC is responsible for policing companies' privacy policies, and also helps protect consumers against unfair or deceptive practices.

Regulators are reportedly reviewing how Carrier IQ collects data. The company's data-collection practices came to light after security researcher Trevor Eckhart highlighted the existence the company's monitoring software, which is employed on about 140 million handsets. Prior to Eckhart's research, few people had been aware of the software's existence.

Read the full article here.

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