The Democrat says a software company has failed to address concerns about what information it's collecting from mobile phone users and how it's using that data.

In a statement, Franken said a merger of the cell phone giants would have resulted in "higher cell phone bills for Minnesotans, greatly reduced competition, the potential loss of thousands of jobs, and less innovation in technology."

Sen. Al Franken wants Facebook to be more upfront about its facial recognition technology and how it plans to use it. Franken grilled a company executive at a Capitol Hill hearing. Facebook has an estimated 60 billion pictures of people, the world's largest photo database.

Sen. Al Franken says he is co-sponsoring a low-income energy assistance bill to help families pay their utility costs. Franken says funding has dropped despite high demand, adding he expects the measure to pass since both Republicans and Democrats get cold.

Democratic U.S. Senator Al Franken, who sits on the Education Committee, says he'll work with the Obama administration to develop a Financial Aid Shopping Sheet to help students compare the cost of attending various colleges.

Current cell phone contracts often prohibit users from filing lawsuits. That means anyone with a complaint can only settle it through arbitration. Democratic Sens. Al Franken and Richard Blumenthal say that doesn't always give cell phone users enough protection.