NEW York senator Chuck Schumer wants people in his city to know that they’re being watched — by “creepy” billboards.

The Democrat and cousin of comedian Amy Schumer has called for a federal investigation into the use of “spying billboards,” which he says use mobile phone location technology to track every move of unsuspecting consumers.

“New spying billboards are being installed across the country, including right here in New York City, and they are being used to collect your mobile phone data,” the senator said.

Speaking from Times Square — surrounded by the all seeing adverts — Mr Schumer said the billboard companies can then sell that information to marketing firms and companies.

“Your personal cell phone should not become a James Bond-like gadget that is used against you by some company,” he complained.

The legion of spying billboards were unleashed across the country in late February, the senator said, though the number of companies relying on the technology was not clear.

The senator also groused that the peeping billboards likely constitute a deceptive trade policy, as their operation violates the privacy of unsuspecting Americans who have no clue they are being watched.

“Once you pass by a Clear Channel spying billboard, your every move could be tracked, recorded and stored,” Mr Schumer said. “That data can be combined with public data available online to create an incredibly detailed profile of you and your preferences. We all know that it’s a short step away from tracking this data and holding it, to attaching your name to it.”

Mr Schumer said he has submitted a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, calling on the FTC to “investigate immediately,” and require billboard companies like Clear Channel Outdoor to offer an opt-out option for consumers.

“They have huge amounts of information on you, who knows what they could use it for?” he warned. “It’s something straight out of a scary movie. The scariest part is that the average consumer, the average cell phone user has no say in whether this happens.”

A spokesman for Clear Channel Outdoor denied that the practice was invasive, or even new.

The system “uses only aggregated and anonymised information from privacy-compliant third-party data providers who have verified that they adhere to consumer-friendly business practices,” the spokesman said.

“This type of campaign planning, attribution and measurement solution has existed for years in other media and is now being applied to out-of-home media,” he added.