giving access to a lot of information. >> we just started poking through the iphone backup on my laptop and stumbled across a file. >> reporter: the information is gathered through cell phone towers and wi-fi hot spots, not gps, so you can't stop is it by turning off the gps. the data isn't transmitted anywhere. so why is it being collected? >> i just thought it was presumably accide presumab presumablyaccidental. i don't think there's any maliciousness. no government conspiracy. just someone left it running. >> apple has made no public comment on the issue. minnesota senator al franken has sent a letter to apple ceo steve jobs demanding answers as to why people are being tracked. you can block the information on a computer through an itunes setting, just check the encryption box on the menu. there's no way to block it on an iphone or 3g ipad.