Can you hear me now? Well, for Verizon Wireless customer the answer will be, “yes,” for advertisers. The carrier is apparently going to start targeting ads to its customers based upon the calls you place or receive, call duration, date/time, and other information. Federal law prohibits the sharing of your Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), but Verizon is trying to get around that rule by forcing you to opt-out instead of opt-in.

According to Network Observations:

Verizon Wireless is mailing a notice advising wireless subscribers that if they fail to Opt Out within 30 days, Verizon will begin SELLING their Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) to “third parties and affiliates”. CPNI information includes all the calls you place or receive on your cell phone (along with date, time and call duration). Verizon intends to allow “targeted ads” created by their affiliates sent to your phone.

Do YOU read the inserts that come with your monthly bill? Most people don’t, which means the opt-out notice will pass unnoticed. Verizon will start sending ads to your phone, thereby increasing the spam we all get to include more text spam. If you call your bookie from your cell phone then the folks over at Verizon are going to know. So, too, if you receive calls from your friend who works at Starbucks.

I smell a class action in the works, but for now please pay attention to your Verizon Wireless bill and opt out.

Source: VoIP & Gadgets Blog

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 25th, 2007 at 2:51 pm and is filed under Office Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.