Senate Democrats Push for FTC Kids’ Privacy Probe of Google Apps

The FTC should investigate whether Google Play store apps violated a children’s privacy law by improperly sharing location data, Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; and Tom Udall, D-N.M., wrote the agency Wednesday. The apps illegally shared tracking information, “exposing children to inappropriate content and advertising,” the lawmakers claimed. The FTC confirmed it received the letter. Apps in Google’s Designed for Families program comply with “strict” policies on content, privacy and advertising, a Google spokesperson emailed. “We take these issues very seriously and continue to work hard to remove any content that is inappropriately aimed at children from our platform.”