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03/29/2024 11:17 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20130&cosponId=13050
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House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: June 24, 2013 12:47 PM
From: Representative Marty Flynn
To: All House members
Subject: Mobile Application Consumer Protection Act
 
In the near future I will be introducing language to create the Mobile Application Consumer Protection Act.
Mobile applications, or “apps,” are ubiquitous. Reports estimate that there are more than a million apps available and more than 1,600 new apps are added daily. These apps are often free and offer great conveniences to the mobile user.
Mobile technology raises significant privacy concerns, however. Mobile devices carry considerable amounts of personal information. Many apps access and collect this information without our knowledge by pulling data from our address books as one example. Since the device is carried and is normally powered on, an unprecedented potential exist for tracking of the user’s location. Not only is the information gathered by the app, it can also be shared with other parties.
Constituents are concerned about privacy on mobile devices. According to a report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 57 percent of all app users have either uninstalled or declined to install an app over concerns about personal information. The report also indicated that less than one-third of Americans feel they are in control of their personal information on their mobile devices.
The proposed legislation is simple yet powerful. It states that consumers will be provided a clear notification of the types of data that will be accessed or collected by the application prior to its download. Violators will be subject to a $25.00 fine per instance.



Introduced as HB1748