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Verizon Wants To Share Your Personal Information
hyades1 writes "Gizmodo reports that Verizon is sending out notification letters infested with virtually-indecipherable legalese. In their sneaky, underhanded way, they're informing you that you have 45 days to opt out of their plan to share your personal data with 'affiliates, agents and parent companies.' That data can include, but isn't limited to, 'services purchased (including specific calls you make and receive), billing info, technical info and location info.' If you view your statement on-line, you won't even get the letter. You'll have to access your account and view your messages. However, Read Write Web says the link provided there, called the 'Customer Proprietary Network Information Notice,' was listed as 'not available.' No doubt Verizon would like to reassure you that everyone they're going to hand your personal data over to will have your best interests at heart."
that i have AT&T and they won't ever try to abuse me.
Excuse me now I have to go reset my sarcasm meter. for some reason it gets pegged all the time now.
i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
It used to just be math, I guess now you can add "not being ridiculous" to the list, too.
I'm posting here that I'm going to eat all of your staff's pets.
You 15 minutes to reply to this post, or you agree that Bruno the Poodle is my main course.
Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
Look, I know the UK gets slammed regularly here on Slashdot for CCTV privacy issues and government spying, but at least we have a halfway decent Data Protection Act with teeth. A company pulling this kind of shit wouldnt get 2 steps in the UK. Doesnt the US have something similar to deter blatant abuses like this?
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beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his mind he dreams himself your master
While people will complain about this now, and talk about switching to Comcast or whoever, what will happen next is that Comcast &c. will do the same thing, and there'll be noplace left to switch to.
Since it's unlikely there will ever be any sort of sufficient regulation of this behaviour by the government, the obvious solution is for everybody to use VOIP and run TOR. But that's unlikely too.
As a customer, I find this absolutely disgusting. These type of things should be opt in if anything.
I guess what I'm saying is, I've lost all faith in large companies to do the right thing. After I saw my tax dollars pay CEOs large bonuses, I just gave up. Game's over man.
Of course, this happens right as people start forgetting about how much Verizon sucks at math.
AT&T just assumes that you WANT to share your name, address, email, social, call length, call content, text messages, voice mail, and shoe size with the world. If you aren't into sharing information, why would you have a cell phone? Bizuhhhh.
..for boost mobile, geez, 50 bucks a month for unlimited yakking, texting and data, via more or less anonymous prepaid, no contract, no "plans" other than that, no hidden fees or anything, and they pay the tax! Ya, the phone selection right now is still crappy, but I bet that will get better, they are getting new customers like crazy. I have a verizon wireless account now and will be switching shortly, it is an obvious no brainer at this point if you can deal with a limited selection of phones.
I haven't read through the full article yet, but I'm assuming they're talking about Verizon Wireless. Or does this spill down to those of us using Verizon DSL service, too?
This guy's the limit!
What is it with companies and selling personal information these days? I guess it's time for me to switch to another carrier and tell everyone I know who's on Verizon to do the same. I just switched to Verizon a few weeks ago, too.
That Verizon perhaps has already been doing this information sharing. They just want to stop getting penalized for various marketing activities they undertake.
And court rulings that affirm the new regulations requiring opt-in consent.
So the new regulations are finally making them take notice and be more forthcoming about when they share proprietary information??
Verizon might be on the hot seat right now, but, I won't be surprised if notices like Verizon's or similar agreements start being seen from other carriers.
I refuse to let them share it! How did they even get my information in the first place? I'm not one of their customers!
Of course they do and the only thing that kept them from doing it before was the fear of a backlash from their customers.
If you are a Verizon Wireless customer like me, the number to call to opt out is given in the actual legal document, here:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/globalText?contentType=Legal%20Notice&textId=181
It takes about two minutes.
~Ben
I work for Verizon DSL as technical support agent. I've seen so many dumb policies it makes my head spin. So this one is no surprise. There is a department at Verizon that it's sole job is to create new policies and processes, no matter how stupid they are. I hate Verizon As much as you do, luckily I'm in Canada and never have to deal with them as a consumer.
p.S. If you require a technician to come out to fix your DSL line, consider yourself lucky if they actually show up on the day they were suppose to (and if they fix it when they do show up)and don't yell at the Agent on the phone (overseas agents are allowed, We hate them too.) when you call in to find out why he didn't show up the next day. We don't know either.
dammit.
file 'sharing' is wrong. or so we're told.
but DATA sharing, if done by multi million corps - that's ok. yeah....
its not sharing, its SELLING.
orwell was right - you can control thoughts via language. give words an incorrect meaning or redefine them and you're halfway there.
similarly, copying bits is not THEFT but copyright violation. again, manipulating our words to make things not quite what they really are.
--
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
Does this mean I can opt out of my phone contract without penalty? I've been looking for a way to get on to a proper GSM carrier without paying the early termination fee. Or does it just mean I can opt out of the data sharing?
Become an "affiliate or agent" of Verizon, and you won't need to use ruses like "pretexting" to get the phone records of your targets.
Good for employers, too, who want to check up on the private calls that its employees make with their own phones.
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
I had to go through 3 websites/blogs before I got the direct link. So if you have Verizon and want to opt out directly, here you go.
https://ebillpay.verizonwireless.com/vzw/accountholder/profile/CPNISettings.action
Verizon isn't any sleazier than the rest of them. The only thing that happened here is the FCC required the carriers to provide consumers with a way to opt out of the "sharing" of their data. All the carriers have to do this not just Verizon. I can say for sure that the process is essentially identical for both Verizon and ATT, login and change your privacy settings under your profile. Works for both, pretty much painless.
I guaran-fucking-tee you that even if you canceled your account today, that the information would still be stored and shared by Verizon.
Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
Several years ago, my local PBS station was begging for donations. I was about to call in and donate $50 when they said they would give you a 1-year subscription to Fast Company magazine if you dontated $60, so that's what I did. A few days later, I got a postcard in the mail thanking me for my donation and saying I would receive my subscription shortly, but my name was misspelled in a unique way. I never received a single issue of the magazine, but I got several solicitations from various charities with the same misspelling.
A message to all corporations and non-profits: If someone gives you money for a donation, service, or product, be thankful for it and treat them with an ounce of respect instead of turning around and screwing them for a few extra pennies by selling their personal info.
P.S. I never gave another penny to PBS again.
The court case resulting from the 2007 FCC regs requiring consumers to be able to opt to not have their information shared was finally decided on 2/19. That's what caused this notice to be sent. For more information check out this link to the EPIC website: http://epic.org/privacy/cpni/. It includes links to opt out for both Verizon and SBC.
This is not about Verizon. It is about Verizon Wireless, which is a completely separate company (half owned by Verizon and half owned by Vodafone).
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
There are slashdotters who still use Verizon? Despite their well-publicized math skills? I'm amazed.
(Best line: "that's a matter of opinion, sir". Referring to the result of a simple arithmetic calculation.)
When I signed up for Verizon Wireless in November the contract came with a page about their information sharing and how to opt out (which I did on the day I signed up). Plus I got another letter about it in December. So this is old news.
Companies sell your personally information all the time, I give props to Verizon to at least notifying me and giving me the option to opt out of it. I've had one other company (I forget it's name) tell me they were selling my personal information without any opt out option, how many others just sell it outright? (note, the one I work for)
So I don't see how this is a big deal (even 5 months late at the least) when it takes 2 minutes or so to opt out.
Now I'm going to go read more of my mail addressed to be offering magazine subscriptions and credit cards...
Isn't this just a rehash of a similar instance last year? IIRC, I logged into my account @ Verizon last year and set my 'Opt out'. Just checked again and it's still 'Don't Share My CPNI'. So they've updated their TOS... NOT news.
So they apparently lied to congress:
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ISPs-Try-To-Prevent-New-Opt-In-Only-Privacy-Law-97991
Verizon statement before Congress:
Verizon believes that before a company captures certain Internet-usage data for targeted or customized advertising purposes, it should obtain meaningful, affirmative consent from consumers." To get that meaningful consent, Tauke said, requires a) explaining to consumers exactly what kind of data are being collected and for what; b) treating a failure to consent as meaning no collection of data for "online behavioral marketing"; and c) consumers' ability to easily opt out if they initially agree but change their minds.
I shocked. Shocked! I tell you...
Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
...I'm switching to Qwest."
Qwest isn't going to share my personal info, and didn't allow the Bush/Cheney and the GOP to tap my phone lines.
Beta version of a letter to be mailed to one of the higher ups - I'm sure I can get an address from 411.com:
Dear Valued Service Provider,
We would like to inform you that, in light of your recently established opt-out policy concerning the transfer of personal information, we've begun persuing an alternate business model involving the sale and small-scale manufacture of genetic samples and engineering equipment.
Our model of collecting said samples was inspired largely in part by your new policy, and in the spirit of cooperation, we'd like to begin with Verizon - it is as follows: our Data Collections agents will enter the dwellings of your employees under the cover of dark and scrape corneal epithelial cells from the surfaces of their eyes.
If your employees would not like to participate in our Data Collection Program, they have 45 days to mail an opt-out form to our Buffalo, NY headquarters.
Sincerely,
[name]
[company]
After signing in to My Verizon (the online account management page) click on the My Profile tab, In the Phone Controls section there's a link titled "View/Edit Privacy(CPNI) Settings" Direct link for people logged in.
Actio personalis moritur cum persona. (Dead men don't sue)
Why don't they just adopt the Buy n' Large disclaimer now and save themselves a few steps in subsequent years?
Funny how Verizon blocks the GPS chip in many of their phones with the statement that they are protecting their customers Privacy from 3rd party applications which might exploit their location, yet they give out my private information to anybody who gives them a buck.
CPNI approval is used by the telecoms to allow them to treat your entire account (landline, internet, long distance, wireless, etc.) as one account. Without CPNI approval the telecom will treat each one of those things as belonging to separate companies (since the silly laws have made the telecoms into several companies to provide these services.)
---- Liquid was a patriot ----
From the comments at Gizmodo there was a post that explained how to opt out from your web account
Sign in to the Verizon website.
- On the red bar near the top, hover over "My Verizon." Click on "My Profile." (Don't go over to the sub-menu that pops up.)
- In the second section down, under Phone Controls, there's a link to "View/Edit Privacy (CPNI) Settings." Click on that.
- Voila! Click on the button that says "Don't share my CPNI." Remember to hit the save button before you leave.
What is confusing is whether "personal information" is limited to Name, number, address, etc, or also includes CPNI (the non-identifiable info).
Your Privacy â" IMPORTANT INFORMATION â" PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE MAKING YOUR PURCHASE DECISION
In the course of providing services to you, we may collect certain information that is made available to us solely by virtue of our relationship with you, such as information about the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination and amount of your use of the telecommunications services you purchase. This information and related billing information is known as Customer Proprietary Network Information, or CPNI. (CPNI does not include your name, address and wireless phone number.) Further, except as provided in this agreement, we won't intentionally share personal information about you without your permission. SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING, WE MAY USE AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU AND HOW YOU USE ANY OF OUR SERVICES: (A) SO WE CAN PROVIDE OUR GOODS OR SERVICES TO YOU; (B) SO OTHERS CAN PROVIDE GOODS OR SERVICES TO US OR TO YOU ON OUR BEHALF; (C) SO WE OR OUR AFFILIATES IN THE VERIZON FAMILY OF COMPANIES CAN COMMUNICATE WITH YOU ABOUT GOODS OR SERVICES THAT ANY OF US OFFER; (D) TO PROTECT OURSELVES; OR (E) AS REQUIRED BY LAW, LEGAL PROCESS OR EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
IN ADDITION, WE MAY INCLUDE OUR OWN OR THIRDâ"PARTY ADVERTISING IN THE SERVICES YOU PURCHASE FROM US, AND WE MAY COLLECT NONâ"PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU AND YOUR USE OF THOSE SERVICES. WE MAY SHARE THAT NONâ"PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION WITH OTHER VERIZON COMPANIES, VENDORS AND THIRD PARTIES TO PROVIDE RELEVANT ADVERTISING. IF YOU DO NOT WANT US TO COLLECT OR USE SUCH NONâ"PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION FOR THIS PURPOSE, YOU SHOULD NOT USE OUR SERVICES; BY USING THE SERVICES, YOU EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZE US TO USE YOUR INFORMATION FOR THIS PURPOSE.
Follow these instructions:
1) Call Verizon.
2) Have the representative explain "CPNI."
3) Ask a couple of questions.
4) Ask the representative to OPT-OUT of all your phones.
You have just cost Verizon Wireless about $20.00 for that call.
http://policyblog.verizon.com/policyblog/blogs/policyblog/jimgerace9/381/verizonwirelesscommentoncpni.aspx
Old news, this was going on in 2007
I have prepaid service through T-Mobile, and I never have to worry about this sort of thing.
Why?
Because all they have on me is a name and a birth date. No address. No social security number. No drivers license number. No credit card number. Nothing. In fact, when I set up the phone they didn't ask for any proof of the validity of the birth date, nor if the name was even mine.
I can buy more minutes at any of their locations, paying cash, to ensure total anonymity.
It costs ten cents a minute. And ten cents a text too. But since I am not prone to lengthy or frequent phone conversations, I still wind up paying significantly less than I would for the cheapest monthly rate of any carrier.
I recommend it.
And this isn't about name, address, age, gender information either. It's everything an ISP can figure out about you without actually reading your email.
Who needs this ? (except companies selling off your details and other companies using it to spam you and/or to flood your mailbox with advertising junk). How about introducing some EU-style dataprotection?
Private sector companies in the USA already share your private data, they just can not link the data to actual people. The information is thus (unique personal identification number(upid)) organized. How do you think statics and other demographic information, charts, studies are created? When was the last time you gave someones conscent to use your iPhone, Internet, Starbucks, etc buying habits?
NEWSFLASH: CPNI is nothing new, and has been around for quite some time
Thanks for the easy to use info. Now I wonder how long it will take for the setting to take effect.
can somebody answer why exactly this is supposed to be bad?
sharing is good.
Login to verizonwireless.com ...
Go to My Profile link
Go to "View/Edit Privacy(CPNI) Settings" a little down the page
Turn all the radio buttons to the don't share position
Profit!
After about 5 minutes of browsing I found how to get Verizon to stop sharing my personal calling information. The steps to change the setting are as follows:
I do not block ads. I do block third party scripts.
Hawaiian Telcom notified me of a similar opt-out to share billing and call information. The difference was that they gave me only 30 days to act, not 45.
Is this legal?
i don't get it - some of the comments above say that there is a law that requires this sort of thing to be opt-in but this is clearly opt-out.
if this is the case, in america, this will no doubt lead to a class-action lawsuit...
"affiliates, agents and parent companies"
Believe it or not this is not as sinister as everyone believes. I have worked for many phone co's what they are generally referring to here is due to the fact that the old land line company is regulated and they are not allowed to share your info with the unregulated companies. So for example if you get FIOS and LD, they aren't allowed to get info from the "verizon" that gives you local (and vice versa) This is why you would always get the seemingly stupid question - "Do we have permission to use your address and service information?" when you call in for billing questions etc. when it seems like they should already know it. This wastes a lot of time (yours and theirs) and most co's moved it to a recorded message before you even speak with a representative in the last few years. This is just another logical step that probably allows VZ wireless, vz fios and vz local to share the info without constantly asking you that question. YMMV read the fine print.
Sorry, that's not how businesses work. Businesses price to maximize profit. This means consumers don't always eat the cost of infrastructure upgrades or any extras that companies spend on, as you claimed they would. Conversely, prices don't drop when businesses are able to cut costs.
I would only agree with your logic if Verizon decided to give a discount to customers, but they don't.
For years now, since the FCC said CPNI was opt out, EVERY phone company (mobile and landline) could sell/trade ALL your information. Name, address, billing info, numbers you call, time you call them, how often you call them, essentially every single thing the phone company knows about you. The kinda stuff that normally requires a warrant, they can just give it away. The name for that info is CPNI (customer proprietary network information).
This was changed in 2002, because of a court case (previously it was opt in only). The FCC decided rather than fight it, they would just switch to opt out.
(Yeah there are a few restrictions, like they have to be a telecommunications related company... hmm if I sell cell phone batteries, I must be telecommunications related, right?)
Everyone should have already opted out years ago to prevent this kinda thing, if they were paying attention. No one did, so this kinda thing wasn't stopped.
If you haven't already you should call up every phone company you use and ask them not to share CPNI.
Get the Facts (google up CPNI, and here's a place to start)
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/phoneaboutyou.html
"1) Opt-Out Your company sends you a notice saying it will consider you to have given your approval to use your customer information for marketing unless you tell it not to do so (usually within 30 days.)"
"How to Help Prevent Unauthorized Disclosure of Your Customer Information"
"Read your telephone bill and any other notices you receive from your company carefully. Determine if your company is seeking opt-in or opt-out permission to use or share your customer information for marketing."
Thats whats been going on here.
Why the hell this post links to gizmorondo I've no idea. Typical of sites stealing stories, they only have a blurb about it which is stupid anyway.
This is the real source:
http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2009/03/07/tales-of-data-pirates-opting-out-of-verizons-open-ended-sharing/
I don't see what the fuss is about. As a student at a business school, I understand the lingo. Basically, they want to share customer info with parent companies and other subsidiaries of the parent companies. In this case, Verizon Wireless is a subsidiary (separate company owned and operated by parent company)of Verizon. They want to give info to other Verizon companies, such as their home phone company/division and their DSL division. This will help with tech support big time. Worst that will happen is some guy trying to sell Verizon long distance plans with your Wireless service. I don't see the big deal.
Sounds like a dupe.
I already opted-out in 2007.
Which is why the message in the "my account" information is "not available".
From vz-wireless:
A copy of your Customer Proprietary Network Information Notice for Verizon Wireless service is not available online.
Why is that?
Your Customer Proprietary Network Information Notice is available to view online if executed within the last 6 months. For information or to request documents older than 6 months, please contact Customer Service at 800.922.0204.
The story writer must be reading some really old mail.
Unless anyone can confirm that this is a new initiative instead of some FUD?
I hate stories like this. There is nothing you can do and even if you leave the provider and go to another provider that already does exactly the same thing, your information is still is in their hands.
VZ top mgmt would sell their own mothers. Of course, they want to sell YOURS first.
I'm a Verizon prepay customer, for what it's worth, but there is no such link on my profile page. I only have an option to set my messaging level to low, medium, or high.
From Verizon Customer Support:
If you do not want your information shared in this way, please sign in to âoeMy Verizonâ and choose the âoeMy Profileâ tab. Click on the âoeView/Edit Privacy (CPNI) Settingsâ link under the âoeCell Phone Controlsâ section and update your preference. Or you may call the "Verizon Wireless Opt Out Line" at 1-800-333-9956 and your request will be honored.
I couldn't find the setting on their website, but the 1-800 number works.
1. Sign in to your account.
2. Click on 'My Profile'.
3. In the 'Phone Controls' section click on 'View/Edit Privacy(CPNI) Settings'.
4. Select the 'Don't Share My CPNI' option.
5. Click 'Submit'.
6. Hope they actually obey this option!
Thanks for the great info. I opted out all my cell phones. Thanks Mat for passing this onto me.
Because unofficially, I bet they are doing it already. No everyone who pays enough or is a TLA (three letter agency)
Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.
This privacy agreement reads like OnStar's, who also want to share your information (location, radio station preferences, etc) with their partners. OnStar uses Verizon's network. I haven't found an easy way to prevent OnStar sharing my CPNI.