The controversy surrounding the security of Apple’s iPhone and iPad escalated Thursday as some European governments said they would investigate whether the company had violated privacy laws by collecting and storing users’ geographic location data. At the same time, some researchers said that contrary to reports published Wednesday, the iPhone’s recording of location information in a hidden file on the device...has been known for some time, and that the information has, on some occasions, been used by law enforcement agencies in investigations...[The] controversy has been magnified by Apple’s silence. For the second day, the company did not respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment. But in a letter sent by Apple in July to two congressmen...the company appeared to confirm that it has been storing and collecting location information for some time. In the letter, Apple said it collects the location data anonymously and only when consumers agree to use its location-based services like maps, or any apps that ask a user’s location, and for its advertising system, iAds. [also refers to Google]