Senators say digital privacy law covers smartphones

The law that protects private computers from unauthorized access also applies to smartphones and other electronic devices, according to Sens Al Franken (D-MN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). They sent a letter to the Department of Justice's Crime Division asking the agency to clarify its interpretation of an existing digital privacy law in light of the recent Epsilon hacker attack and reports that smartphone app-makers are sharing customer data with third parties without notifying customers. "These allegations raise broad questions about the need to better protect Americans' digital information and give them greater awareness and control over that information," the senators wrote. "They also highlight potential ambiguities and limitations of the [Computer Fraud and Abuse Act] which create uncertainties for industry and limit safeguards for consumers."