Verizon Tries To Defend Collecting Browsing Data on its Network (theverge.com) 32
Verizon has sent an email to customers to let them know they're getting opted in to its Custom Experience data collection scheme after reports came out about it being turned on by default for some users. From a report: If you (understandably) trashed the email without reading it, the TL;DR is that Verizon's program collects data about your apps and web browsing activity to help "provide you more personalized experiences with Verizon." But of course, Verizon says, you have a choice -- you can turn it off anytime because your privacy is important to it (though not important enough to make the program opt-in instead of opt-out). Custom Experience is a sort of spin-off / successor / rebrand of Verizon Selects, which people were enrolled into when they used the Verizon Up rewards program. Verizon Selects has now been rebranded as Custom Experience Plus, while the Custom Experience with a few limits on tracking is rolling out to most customers who don't actively opt out. Verizon is letting its customers know about the program through emails, like one a member of The Verge's staff received, and texts like this one a reader says they got. The email promises that "you're in control," saying that you can opt out within the next 30 days before the Custom Experience is turned on for your line.
It's to improve your customer experience. (Score:2)
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Cue the creepy ads from "Minority Report".
Custom Experience "Plus" (Score:2)
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Heh - I'm thinking, given "Lamps Plus Plus" that showed up in the episode, it'd probably be "Customer Experience Plus Plus".
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That's still one step below "Custom Experience DoublePlusMoreGood".
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That was a funny special! More to come I bet since COVID-19 will be here a long time. :(
You think verizon is going to (Score:2)
leave millions of dollars on the table so you can have your privacy? Think again.
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leave millions of dollars on the table so you can have your privacy? Think again.
As much as I hate it and think the government is generally inept and filled with lazy meat sacks, that is why we need regulation. In the USA, you get when the 80% will accept, and they do not care about things some of us do. If we only get protections that average person (avg US IQ = 98) cares about , then it truly becomes an Idiocracy, which is exactly what the big corps want.
Democracy is idiot rule and easily corruptible,
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So you want an autocratic system? Russia and China do that...
Opt In? (Score:2)
I thought the FTC said "opt in" was banned?
Anyhow, I went in and turned that crap off on all our phones.
And, I'm watching to see if the sneaky bastards try to turn it back on again!
To what? (Score:2)
It's actually opt-out - you have to choose (opt) to be out. Anyway they just got the word wrong and that's not the point. More to the point:
> I thought the FTC said "opt in" was banned?
You thought opting in (out) to *WHAT* was banned?
"To anything", you say. Nah, cereal boxes are opt-out. When you buy cereal, you get the box by default. If you don't want the box, you have to explicitly opt-out by throwing it away.
A different question is whether regulators SHOULD ban this type of tracking. yes, of cours
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Not necessarily [target.com] :-)
Should be illegal (Score:2)
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I wish I had insightful points for you. I notice that when I started loudly talking shit about the CCP I magically haven't received any mod points for months despite DECADES of Excellent karma. Coincidence?
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They are not examining the content of your browsing.
They are examining the URLs that you browse. You know what I mean - the stuff you type in the address bar of your web browser.
URLs can actually tell an analytics specialist a whole lot about you when they are correlated against listings of what those websites offer.
And the URL scanning/skimming/capture (call it whatever you want) is done within the VZN network infrastructure before your traffic hits an Internet access point.
And VZN has been doing stuff lik
Corrected title: (Score:2)
"Privacy Rapist Tries To Defend Collecting Browsing Data on its Network"
There, FTFY.
Auto VPN (Score:2)
At least Nord's client lets you automatically connect on cellular.
Panamanian company - who knows, but at least not legally 5eyes subpoenable.
Verizon says: Only applies to Individual accounts (Score:1)
Never use your Cell for Browsing (Score:2)
If you use your cell phone for personal items (banking, finance browsing, etc), you deserve what you get.
You can have a VPN on your Cell, but I wonder if Verizon (and others) have backdoors making the VPN pretty much useless. And who knows if disabling these items really work. To me, disabling these items may make Verizon watch you even more closely.
The joys of using a closed system in a walled garden.
PSA: Check Both Web *and* App (Score:2)
When the initial set of messages went out, I checked via the web and was showing as opted out, but then on a whim a day or two later I checked via the My Verizon app and was opted in to the first set. So be sure to check both, even though they should be showing the same data.
At what rate do agreement changes become illegal? (Score:4, Insightful)
OK, so like good 'ol Darth [knowyourmeme.com], Verizon is altering the deal unilaterally.
Firstly, is this legal?
Secondly, what is the rate of alternations at which this practise becomes illegal?
1 a day, 1 a minute, 1 every few seconds?
Assholes (Score:2)
I'm trying to figure out who the bigger assholes are - the bean counting execs who came up with this shit idea or the lowlife marketing droids that named it.
Hey guess what, everything isn't a fucking "experience"
so... (Score:2)