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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?
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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.
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.
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
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?
it is an obvious no brainer at this point if you can deal with a limited selection of phones.
I dunno, man ... what's a true geek to do without his Android G1?
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
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
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 dunno, man ... what's a true geek to do without his Android G1?
Get a phone with more than 3 hours of battery life?
Don't get me wrong. I really want a G1, but the moment I heard about the battery life, I decided to pass on it.
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"You spilled my egg... I needed that egg."
...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.
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)
The battery life really isn't that bad, unless you keep on the GPS. But even dedicated GPS devices don't run on battery for more than 4 or 5 hours. I can get 2 days out of a single charge (low talk and internet), leaving 3g on but only using WiFi when I need it. I guess I don't use it for music or games which would probably suck the battery down, but really why do you need more than 8 hours of heavy usage time?
Plus when I go biking, skiing, or hiking I take a Nokia cheapo (I got for 10$) and slap my sim card in there. Beats the crap out of an iPhone.
My addiction: Arguing with idiots. AKA Slashdot!
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.
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?
Thanks for the easy to use info. Now I wonder how long it will take for the setting to take effect.
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.
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.
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.
You're right, companies seem hesitant to lower prices when they encounter lowered costs, even if it would gain them more customers and more total profit. That seems to be a bit of business foolishness that most companies suffer with. Luckily inflation ends up making this point irrelevant (prices fail to rise as fast as they could've).
Verizon, however, is not dumb. They know Sprint is eating their lunch on data plan pricing. They know they don't have exclusives like AT+T, and (comparative) bargain rates on voice and text like T-Mobile. They've got some work to do to stop customers from outflowing once their contracts are up, and pricing would be a good place to start.
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!
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.