Illinois Attorney General Madigan Wants to Meet With Google, Apple Execs About Location Tracking

With newer versions of iPhones, iPads and Google Android devices collecting and storing detailed information about its users' locations, Attorney General Lisa Madigan on Monday called for a meeting with Apple and Google executives.

Madigan sent a letter in response to press reports that Apple and Google mobile devices store user location information that can be transmitted back to the companies, a release from the AG's office said.

The information — latitude and longitude coordinates coupled with a timestamp — is reportedly unencrypted and unprotected. Madigan has asked the companies to detail what information is being storing, for how long and what it's used for, the release said.

“I want to know whether consumers have been informed of what is being tracked and stored by Apple and Google and whether those tracking and storage features can be disabled,” the attorney general said in the release. “It’s important that these companies ensure that their users’ private information is protected.”