Verizon Wireless, opt out or your info is sold

[PrntRhd]

Verizon Wireless is sending out letters advising customers they have 30 days to respond to opt out or they can sell your usage and customer information to third parties.
http://www.rcrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071012/FREE/71012004/1002/FREE

This is really stretching the rules that state customers must give their explicit permission to sell the customer information. An opt in program is better to protect the rights of the consumer.
If I were a Verizon customer I would be really angry at their making me call their number just to keep from having my info used by third parties.

CPNI comprises users’ calling records and includes the numbers of incoming and outgoing calls and time spent on each call, among other data. Verizon Wireless last week began sending letters notifying customers that they have 30 days to opt out of the program by calling an 800 number before their information would be shared.

[mjc]

So their latest ads showing all those people are really just the vultures...err...'partners' they've sold your info to.

[Whyzman]

I'm ordering one of these for Verizon...but they've already won:

http://www.partyamericastore.com/limbo-stick.html

[PrntRhd]

Verizon Wireless has been contacting its customers via snail mail to inform them of their intent to share CPNI data with its "affiliates, agents and parent companies (including Vodafone) and their subsidiaries." The company says that customers who do not want their CPNI data shared need to call 1-800-333-9956 to "opt-out." Upon dialing the opt-out number, Verizon customers will be prompted for their phone number, billing ZIP code, and last four digits of their Social Security Numbers (in the case of businesses, their Employer ID numbers). Failure to opt-out will be interpreted by Verizon Wireless as "consent" to the company's data-sharing practices.

No pressure or obligation on the part of the consumer at all.
Right
:rolleyes:

[mjc]

You know, five or so years ago, we expected this kind of crap from low, sleezy web slime, like Gator, Comet Cursor, CueCat and others...

I wonder if Verizon will feel the heat or just blithely go on about its business?

They should get the same treatment as those former web slime received.

[Whyzman]

Yeah, maybe a little quid pro quo: All execs who voted for this agree to have their cell and personal home numbers plastered across the internet for third party "affiliates" to contact them...

[PrntRhd]

Whyzman,
I am certain they were the first ones to opt out.
:(

[DigitalJ]

Well isn't this a load of crap.

Thanks for the warning, guys. I've been a verizon customer for years and I've recieved no such notice.