SMARTPHONE USAGE AND THE NEED FOR CONSUMER PRIVACY LAWS

Many Americans use smartphones for a variety of personal, recreational, and business affairs. While the increasing popularity of smartphones and mobile technology has advanced communication, new uses have created privacy breaches of personal and consumer information. This article examines the different ways that American smartphone users use their mobile devices as well as the various types of data created. This article also explores the vulnerabilities faced by smartphone users. Vulnerabilities occur through the use of traditional hacking and malware, but can extend to the collection and dissemination of personal and consumer information by smartphone applications. The article concludes by examining different solutions for privacy breaches. Some solutions may be implemented on an individual or institutional level. Other solutions to privacy breaches require the enforcement and extension of legislation upon telecommunication companies and application developers.