Democrats on the House Commerce Committee asked developers of social apps to disclose their data collection practices Ranking Democrats Henry Waxman and G.K. Butterfield of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee sent letters on Thursday to developers of iOS apps, asking for information on how the programs collect and store user data.The lawmakers are seeking the information as part of an inquiry into privacy and security practices related to mobile phone applications, according to the committee’s Democratic website.The inquiry comes amid growing concern about mobile privacy, which remains largely unregulated despite the explosion of smartphone usage. In mid-February, after reports that the social networking app Path was uploading users’ address books without their knowledge, Waxman and Butterfield sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, requesting clarification of the privacy protections the company demands of app developers. Last week, the lawmakers notified Cook that they weren’t satisfied with the answers and asked Apple representatives to brief them in person. The letters sent Thursday to the developers of apps such as Path, Facebook, Instagram, Foodspotting and others asked developers to explain how their apps use personal information, including address books, email accounts, calendars, photos and unique device identifier numbers. The committee members said they expect answers by April 12. Cameron Scott covers search, web services and privacy for The IDG News Service. Follow Cameron on Twitter at CScott_IDG. Related content news UK Cyber Security Council CEO reflects on a year of progress Professor Simon Hepburn sits down with broadcaster ITN to discuss Council’s work around cybersecurity professional standards, careers and learning, and outreach and diversity. By Michael Hill Sep 27, 2023 3 mins Government Government Government news FIDO Alliance certifies security of edge nodes, IoT devices Certification demonstrates that products are at low risk of cyberthreats and will interoperate securely. By Michael Hill Sep 27, 2023 3 mins Certifications Internet Security Security Hardware news analysis Web app, API attacks surge as cybercriminals target financial services The financial services sector has also experienced an increase in Layer 3 and Layer 4 DDoS attacks. By Michael Hill Sep 27, 2023 6 mins Financial Services Industry Cyberattacks Application Security news Immersive Labs adds custom 'workforce exercising' for each organizational role With the new workforce exercising capability, CISOs will be able to see each role’s cybersecurity readiness, risk areas, and exercise progress. By Shweta Sharma Sep 27, 2023 3 mins Security Software Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe