A congressional committee on Tuesday sent letters to Apple and Google urging both companies to closely monitor the collection and possible exploitation of user data by third-party apps affiliated with foreign entities.In letters addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the Congressional Committee on Oversight and Reform expressed concern over the security implications of storing user data on foreign soil. Foreign app makers, those with connections to foreign bodies and domestic companies that store information on offshore servers are named as potential threats to U.S. national security.Stephen F. Lynch, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, noted steps taken by other countries to combat the specter of nefarious data operations include legislation that requires companies to store data on local servers and, in some cases, outright bans on foreign apps. Congress seeks similar protections, but is reluctant to adopt targeted policies that come at the cost of "inhibiting innovation
