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AT&T is trying to force customers into arbitration in order to avoid a class-action complaint over the telecom's former practice of selling users' real-time location data.
[...] The class-action complaint [(pdf)] was filed in July against AT&T and two location data aggregators called LocationSmart and Zumigo. "AT&T used LocationSmart and Zumigo to manage the buying and selling of its customers' real-time location data," the lawsuit said. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for customers, an injunction preventing AT&T from selling location data, and certification of a class including all AT&T wireless subscribers between 2011 and the present "whose carrier-level location data AT&T permitted or caused to be used or accessed by any third party without proper authorization."
The lawsuit says:
Despite vowing to its customers that it does not "sell [their] Personal Information to anyone for any purpose," AT&T has been selling its customers' real-time location data to credit agencies, bail bondsmen, and countless other third parties without the required customer consent and without any legal authority. AT&T's practice is an egregious and dangerous breach of Plaintiffs' and all AT&T customers' privacy, as well as a violation of state and federal law.
AT&T previously denied that selling phone location data was illegal, even though Section 222 of the Communications Act says phone companies may not use or disclose customer location information "without the express prior authorization of the customer." The lawsuit alleges that AT&T violated the Communications Act, the California Unfair Competition Law, the California Constitution's right to privacy, and the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act.
A series of reports by Motherboard beginning in January 2019 showed that T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T continued selling customers' real-time location data after all the major cellular carriers promised to stop doing so. The data "end[ed] up in the hands of bounty hunters and others not authorized to possess it, letting them track most phones in the country," Motherboard reported at the time. The news site also wrote about AT&T's motion to compel arbitration yesterday.
Personally, I think sale of said data is a serious invasion of privacy and hope AT&T gets hurt where it counts ($$,$$$,$$$,$$$).
(Score: -1, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @12:51AM (9 children)
If you haven't done anything wrong who cares who knows where you are. As Benjamin Franklin said, most eloquently, "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest", and telcos have invested a lot on knowing where we are so let them profit.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @01:07AM (3 children)
As your car insurance company, we see you've been out late on Fri and Sat evenings, and have spent time in parts of town with bars and restaurants. We're going to raise your rates because statistically we presume you are drinking and driving.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @01:19AM (1 child)
OP said "If you haven't done anything wrong...". In your example, a person is imbibing alcohol which the Quran tells us is haram. Higher insurance rates are justice for the sin of disobeying Allah.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday September 24 2019, @02:54PM
Actually, the dude under surveillance doesn't drink. He works as a bouncer at a bar, but he doesn't drink a drop of alcohol. But, he's going to be penalized for drinking anyway.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @08:51AM
Then I'll go to a different insurance company...
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @01:17AM (2 children)
I was going to just mod you down, but I'll assume you aren't a telecom shill for the moment.
Here's an example [nwsource.com] where your naivete shows through quite clearly:
The article above is from 1994(!). Imagine what abusers can do 25 years later, when they can track their victims in real time.
Please explain to me how a victim of domestic abuse who flees from their abuser has "done something wrong."
And how is paying a few hundred bucks to a PI or a telecom to get that info any different from this kind of thing?
https://stories.avvo.com/crime/domestic-abusers-use-technology-track-partners-protect.html [avvo.com]
https://www.wired.com/story/common-apps-domestic-abusers-stalk-victims/ [wired.com]
https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2014/09/15/346149979/smartphones-are-used-to-stalk-control-domestic-abuse-victims [npr.org]
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/25/spyware-smartphone-abusive-men-track-partners-domestic-violence [theguardian.com]
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/technology/phone-apps-stalking.html [nytimes.com]
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/05/victims-of-domestic-violence-challenged-by-abusers-using-technology.html [cnbc.com]
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spyware-the-online-tool-of-stalking-domestic-abuse/ [cbsnews.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @12:37PM (1 child)
Thank you for this story, I think it puts the importance of privacy into the proper context.
That being said, I am about 98% sure the GP was writing with maximum sarcasm.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @09:40PM
AC you replied to here. You're welcome. There are other compelling arguments for privacy, but victims of abuse are particularly poignant.
That's as may be. Poe's Law [wikipedia.org] is a bitch. At the same time, I usually apply Hanlon's Razor [wikipedia.org] before considering Poe's Law.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @01:23AM
Of course, good to hear you say so. I believe in investing in knowledge myself. I'm a burglar, and I really do want to know where you are, to avoid a chance meeting at your home.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @04:59PM
"If you haven't done anything wrong who cares who knows where you are."
Not sure about you, but I'm pretty sure the Jews would have disagreed circa 1939.