Franken Seeks Answers From Clear Channel

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) wants information from Clear Channel Outdoor about its new Radar service.

Citing a New York Times story about the service, which is launching in 11 cities, Franken said he was alarmed by the report that it was teaming with, among others, AT&T, to track cell phone location data to target advertising campaigns.

“I am concerned about the extent to which Clear Channel may be collecting Americans’ personal information, including sensitive location data, and sharing that information without people’s knowledge or consent,” wrote Sen. Franken, ranking member and former chair of the Privacy and Technology Subcommittee. “I believe Americans have a fundamental right to privacy, and that right includes an individual’s access to information about what data are being collected about them, how the data are being treated, and with whom the data are being shared.”

Franken said Clear Channel's privacy policy is unclear, and wanted responses to a number of questions, including how the information collected is randomized, whether it is retained, and wants a list of all the outside parties that share consumer information with Clear Channel.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.