October 24th, 2007
Outrage: Verizon Wireless wants to sell your personally identifiable data: here's how you can stop this
Last week, it was revealed that Verizon Wireless is mailing a notice advising wireless subscribers that if they fail to Opt Out within 30 days, Verizon will begin SELLING their Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) to “third parties and affiliates”.
CPNI information includes all the calls you place or receive on your cell phone (along with date, time and call duration). Verizon intends to allow “targeted ads” created by their affiliates sent to your phone.
Network Instruments has been following this issue closely and has posted a sample e-mail that anyone can send FCC commissioners:
Email says:
Dear Chairman Martin, and esteemed FCC Commissioners,
I am writing to express my strong concern that Verizon Wireless is able to subvert the will of the people and established Federal law by simply including a leaflet in my monthly bill advising me that if I do not Opt-Out of CPNI disclosure within 30-days receipt of the notice, I will be Opted-In automatically and with no further notice. Verizon will no doubt snare hundreds of thousands of subscribers who are simply too busy, or fail to recognize the importance of the CPNI announcement.
You are aware that Federal Law prohibits telecommunications carriers from disclosing CPNI information. Verizon Wireless’ outrageous action is proof that carriers will not act in the best interests of their customers without strong Federal oversight such as that afforded by the Federal Communications Commission.
Even if a subscriber voluntarily Opts-In to CPNI disclosure, we should be concerned about the privacy of called parties who are subscribers of other wireless carriers not party to the CPNI disclosure agreement sought by Verizon Wireless? What if they do not wish their conversations disclosed? How are their legal rights to privacy protected?
I respectfully urge the FCC Commissioners to take immediate action to block Verizon’s CPNI disclosure from taking effect.
Sincerely,
Wireless Subscriber Under the Protection of the Laws of the United States & Protection of the US Federal Communications Commission
Here are the email addresses of the FCC Chairman and Commissioners:
Chairman Kevin J. Martin: KJMWEB@fcc.gov
Commissioner Michael J. Copps: Michael.Copps@fcc.gov
Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein: Jonathan.Adelstein@fcc.gov
Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate: dtaylortateweb@fcc.gov
Commissioner Robert McDowell: Robert.McDowell@fcc.gov
Another reason why regulations are sometimes necessary.
Russell Shaw is an enterprise computing journalist, analyst and author based in Portland, Oregon. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
