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Verizon, AT&T, Comcast Say They Will Not Sell Customer Browsing Histories (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the some-relief dept.

Comcast, Verizon, AT&T Inc said Friday they would not sell customers' individual internet browsing information, days after the U.S. Congress approved legislation reversing Obama administration era internet privacy rules. From a report on Reuters: The bill would repeal regulations adopted in October by the Federal Communications Commission under former President Barack Obama requiring internet service providers to do more to protect customers' privacy than websites like Alphabet's Google or Facebook. The easing of restrictions has sparked growing anger on social media sites. "We do not sell our broadband customers' individual web browsing history. We did not do it before the FCC's rules were adopted, and we have no plans to do so," said Gerard Lewis, Comcast's chief privacy officer. He added Comcast is revising its privacy policy to make more clear that "we do not sell our customers' individual web browsing information to third parties." Verizon does not sell personal web browsing histories and has no plans to do so in the future, said spokesman Richard Young.

1 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. Of course they don't by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Your raw data isn't what's sold most of the time. It's insights and scores derived from it algorithmically. These scores and categorisations are their 'corporate opinion', and in the US are protected as free (corporate) speech. With the US law system the biggest threat is being sued for libel, which is why they are very careful to always sell these scores as 'likelyhood', not fact. Although the clients use it as fact all the same. The databroker-market (worth 150 billion in 2015) doesn't sell YOUR data, they sell THEIR data (which is based on your data).

    An example is Facebook's data about your interests that advertisers use. Some databrokers have up to 3000 'opinions' for sale, including your 'likely' interests, political affiliation, psychological weakness, medical risks, and so forth.

    In Europe it's a little different, especially with the new GDPR privacy law coming up. There what counts as 'person data' has just been expanded. However, much is still unclear.

    So in short, this promise is a smokescreen that cleverly builds on a widely held misconception. Why sell the raw product. The market wants the refined product.

    Welcome to the reputation economy, where every little bit of data you leave behind is used to rate you. And do realize:
    - These scores and ratings will increasingly impact the chances you are given.
    - They are not as fair as you think.

    A useful FTC report:
    https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/reports/data-brokers-call-transparency-accountability-report-federal-trade-commission-may-2014/140527databrokerreport.pdf