This is what I sent to the FTC. In 2008, Verizon Wireless promised a Senate committee that they would not track users. Sometime between then and about 2 months ago, Verizon planted an "x...
See more...
This is what I sent to the FTC. In 2008, Verizon Wireless promised a Senate committee that they would not track users. Sometime between then and about 2 months ago, Verizon planted an "x-UIDH" field into every Internet header used by every Verizon Wireless user. The field is a unique identifier, purportedly used to track users who do not opt out, to provide targeted advertising. However, these unique identifiers can and have been used on websites and logins such as twitter to couple users PII to the identifier, tracking the user across the Internet, where others who are not associated with Verizon Wireless in any way, can track a user from website to website, collecting as much personal information as possible, across the world. Some of us were induced by and relied upon Verizon's 2008 promise, and by no mention of this "super cookie" in their privacy policy, to remain with Verizon's CDMA network rather than switch to another provider. Many of us paid to upgrade our phones, further tying us to Verizon. Imagine how privacy savvy users felt when it was discovered through third parties that we could be stalked through these UIDH headers. And yes, you read that right, Verizon did not disclose this to users, the Electronic Frontier Foundation did. Even now, Verizon has not publicly disclosed their privacy destroying ways. I asked Verizon on Twitter, on Facebook, and on their own forums how users could opt out of having this added header in our Internet streams. There is no technical reason for it whatsoever, even on Verizon's own network. Each response I received from Verizon was either obsfucating information, telling me how to opt out of the advertising scheme rather than the actual non consensual tracking malware, or telling me how much Verizon values my privacy while simultaneously destroying it in a far more dangerous way than anyone else has to date. They even set up a website to lie to customers by saying this tracker is "harmless" because they (Verizon) is not using it to track you if you opt out. [content deleted for my own protection] after I started a petition drive on Change.org. I have appealed to the FCC, and now I'm appealing to you. Please either force Verizon to remove this unnecessary and harmful tracker, or have them provide any user who desires it, a refund for any equipment purchased between their promise of 9/26/2008 and whatever date they finally choose to inform its users in a conspicuous manner that they are being tracked, and allow us to leave for another provider without an early termination fee. It's only fair. end ftc complaint Verizon, we are still waiting. I requested your privacy office to provide me more information in response to an email. It did not happen. I've asked you here to respond. It did not happen. I've asked you on Facebook and Twitter. Still no response. Does this mean that you have no intention to remove the tracker or to do right by those of us you broke your 2008 promise to? As you can see, I'm not going away.