Pandora Subpoenaed In Information-Sharing Investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Online radio service Pandora has received a subpoena from a federal grand jury investigating whether popular smartphone applications share information about their users with advertisers and other third parties.

Pandora says it believes it is one of many companies to receive subpoenas in probe into the information-sharing practices of publishers that make apps for the iPhone and other Apple Inc. devices, as well as smartphones that run on Google Inc.'s Android operating system.

Pandora says it does share information with third parties to help it track how users interact with the service and to deliver targeted advertising. But the Oakland, Calif.-based company says it is "not a specific target" of the grand jury investigation.

The company noted the development in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission detailing plans for an initial public offering.

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