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Verizon Draws Fire For Monitoring App Usage, Browsing Habits

Posted by samzenpus on from the stop-selling-my-info-bro dept.

An anonymous reader writes "'We're able to view just everything that they do,' Bill Diggins, U.S. chief for the Verizon Wireless marketing initiative, told an industry conference earlier this year. 'And that's really where data is going today. Data is the new oil.' From the article: 'The company this month began offering reports to marketers showing what Verizon subscribers are doing on their phones and other mobile devices, including what iOS and Android apps are in use in which locations. Verizon says it may link the data to third-party databases with information about customers' gender, age, and even details such as "sports enthusiast, frequent diner or pet owner."'"

4 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Assholes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Verizon Wireless says that its initiative, called Precision Market Insights, is legal because the information is aggregated and doesn't reveal customers' identities.

    The thought of "ethical" or "good for the customers" isn't in their vocabulary, is it?

    If they found the legal loophole that allowed literally ass-raping customers to make extra money, they'd use it the same day.

    1. Re:Assholes by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Funny

      If they found the legal loophole that allowed literally ass-raping customers to make extra money, they'd use it the same day.

      Well bugger that for a laugh

  2. Person of Interest by Bongo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Mr Reese, I have a new number for you. This one is about to go buy a KFC. You have 15 mins to get there before he does and make sure he buys McDonalds.

    OK Mr Finch, how do you suggest I persuade him? The M16 or the AK47?

  3. Re:Root that phone and run a custom ROM by mrsurb · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't hear my wife complaining...