Rosenworcel Asks Wireless Carriers What They're Doing on Data Selling Complaints

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to CEOs of the four major national wireless carriers Wednesday asking what they're doing to make sure real-time location information they collect isn’t being sold to data aggregators. News of the sale of the data to bounty hunters and related businesses broke last May, she noted. “This is a personal and national security issue that affects every American with a cell phone,” Rosenworcel said. The FCC said it’s investigating but hasn’t “provided the public with any details,” she said. “Nor has it taken any public action to ensure this activity has stopped.” Rosenworcel released letters to AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. “The FCC needs to do more to protect the privacy and security of American consumers,” she said. “It needs to do more to provide the public with basic information about what is happening with their real-time location information.” Verizon was “the first to take action” when questions arose last summer, a spokesperson said: “We followed through with our pledge and have fully terminated our location aggregator arrangements.” AT&T is "committed to end the aggregator services in March, which we did,” said a spokesperson there. The other carriers and CTIA didn't comment. Commissioner Geoffrey Starks also wants quick action on the data-selling complaints (see 1902080056).