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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.
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?
Yes, indeed ... we have Congress ...
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
Meaning... no? :P
I should have thought that was obvious.
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
Yes, indeed ... we have Congress ...
Thanks, my nose needed rinsed out with milk, and it has been awhile since I wiped off the keyboard and LCD...
You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
Verizon: "But Mr Dent, the privacy opt-out contract has been available in the local telecom office for the last nine months."
..."
Dent: "Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually telling anybody or anything."
Verizon: "But the contract was on display
Dent: "On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."
Verizon: "That's the display department."
Dent: "With a flashlight."
Verizon: "Ah, well the lights had probably gone."
Dent: "So had the stairs."
Verizon: "But look, you found the privacy notice didn't you?"
Dent: "Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard'."
------
beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his mind he dreams himself your master
Yeah, but name one person who enjoys paying more for services than their neighbor.
Verizon will be selling personal information for *money*, and this influx of capital will mean that customers won't have to be 100% responsible for Verizon's monthly operating budget, upgrade projects, or anything else that the company spends money on.
Every successful company (and let's face it, Verizon is one of them) spends its money wisely. It's not like the money Verizon is getting for this is going to the Buy-the-CEO-a-Mercedes fund -- it will go into the budget just as all the customer payments do.
If Verizon doesn't sell your info (which most customers don't value much anyway), then either service will degrade, prices will go up, or Verizon will not be able to offer new products. You can't have your cake and eat it, too.