[Mobilepartners] How to Prevent AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint from Selling Your Usage Data to Third Parties

[Matthew D Sullivan]

Hello,

AT&T<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/att-selling-data_n_3561263.html>, Verizon Wireless<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/17/verizon-precision-market-insights_n_1971265.html>, and Sprint<http://newsroom.sprint.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1623#optin> have announced they will be selling “anonymized and aggregated” user data to third-party businesses and marketing companies. This data, known as Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), may include information such as your location, Web browsing history, technical configuration, mobile app usage, and more. All three carriers will automatically opt all personal lines into these programs. MIT Corporate and Business lines will not be part of this program, according to these carriers.

Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and Sprint do let users opt out of these programs within their wireless account privacy settings. This will not stop the carriers from collecting the data but will protect your CPNI from being sold. Directions on how to opt out can be found in the Knowledge Base<http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/x/QAoYCQ>.

For a better understanding of the carriers' programs and intentions, see "How Wireless Carriers Are Monetizing Your Movements"<http://www.technologyreview.com/news/513016/how-wireless-carriers-are-monetizing-your-movements/> from MIT Technology Review. In addition, the FCC provides guidelines for protecting your telephone calling records<http://www.fcc.gov/guides/protecting-your-telephone-calling-records>.

If you have questions or concerns regarding the use of your cellular data, please contact your carrier. If you have any mobile device related questions or issues, please contact us at mobile-help at mit.edu

Best,
Matt Sullivan


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Matthew Sullivan
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
IS&T | CSS | Mobile Devices Team
P: 617-253-6445
E: irishman at mit.edu

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