Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Skyhook Wireless To Participate In Location-Based Forum

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Representatives from Facebook, Foursquare Labs, Google, Microsoft and other companies will discuss emerging trends in location-based services Tuesday in a day-long conference in Washington, D.C. Federal regulators are convening the meeting to make consumers more aware of how the services really work.

The Federal Communications Commission issued the agenda and speakers late Monday afternoon.

Officials from both the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission will moderate an opening panel on new trends on location-based services.

Industry representatives on that panel include Google’s U.S. Director of Public Policy Alan Davidson, Facebook’s Director of Public Policy Tim Sparapani, Foursquare labs’ Director of Marketing Jon Steinbeck, as well as representatives of Verizon Wireless and the Mobile Marketing Association.

Notably absent is Apple. Some of Apple’s devices use Skyhook Wireless’ technology, but Apple ditched Skyhook last year to build its own system.

The absence is notable since it was a blog post about the way it tracks its devices’ users that brought the issue a higher profile in recent months. Apple has since addressed the issue.

Other panels during the day will examine the steps that companies are taking to protect consumers privacy (or lack thereof,) and what parents and kids should know about how location-based tracking servies work.

The discussion starts at 9 am and will be broadcast live at the FCC’s Web site.

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