CEOs of Google, Apple to face questioning at U.S. Senate hearing about privacy issues

What do tech companies know about us and when do they know it?

CEOs of Google and Apple have been asked to testify at a U.S. Senate hearing on mobile technology and privacy conces, amid reports that smart phones could be tracking users' locations.

The hearing, scheduled for May 10, was called as consumers worry that technology could be compromising their privacy and personal information.

Apple and Google are facing scrutiny from consumers and lawmakers conceing data that's being collected from mobile users and stored. Senators urged Google CEO Larry Page and Apple CEO Steve Jobs to testify, though there was no word yet if they would.

This week, Sony revealed that a hacker may have stolen personal data from 77 million users of its Playstation. Sony says that an illegal intrusion, made between April 17 and 19, compromised certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user accounts. The company has temporarily shut down its network and Qriocity services.

In a statement yesterday on its website, Apple said it isn't tracking users' locations, but that it is maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers.

\"Users are confused, partly because the creators of this new technology [including Apple] have not provided enough education about these issues to date,\" the statement said. The company says it plans to reduce the amount of data stored by iPhones.

Google said it is willing to explain to lawmakers how it protects users privacy on mobile devices.

\"We provide users with notice and control over the collection, sharing and use of location\" on Androids, Google spokesman Chris Gaither told Bloomberg News.

\"Any location data that is sent back to Google location servers is anonymized and is not tied or traceable to a specific user.\"