Posted on 03/01/2020 8:31:15 PM PST by upchuck
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Communications Commission confirmed on Friday it voted to propose fining four major U.S. wireless carriers more than $200 million for failing to protect consumers’ location information.
The FCC is proposing to fine T-Mobile US Inc more than $91 million, AT&T Inc $57 million, Verizon Communications Inc $48 million and Sprint Corp more than $12 million.
T-Mobile said it would dispute the fine, saying that after it learned its “location aggregator program was being abused by bad actor third parties, we took quick action.” The other three carriers did not immediately comment.The carriers will get to challenge the proposed fines before they can become final. Reuters first reported on Thursday that the total of the fines was expected to be just over $200 million.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the commission “took decisive action to protect American consumers and we are confident in the balance we struck.”
The FCC said in May 2018 it was investigating reports that a website flaw could have allowed the location of mobile phone customers to be tracked. That probe expanded into other uses of consumers’ location data by third-party firms.
Carriers have allowed the use of location-data for programs like roadside assistance, logistics, medical emergency alert services, human trafficking alerts and fraud prevention.
Good! It’s about time.
Actually, for this type of crime (i.e. invading the privacy of others), I think the punishment should be the total loss of privacy for at least a year. That means EVERYTHING you do is streamed live online. Going to the bathroom, sleeping and snoring, how you look in the morning before 'putting yourself together', etc. All of it. It will definitely teach offenders about the sanctity of privacy.
Who seriously believes their location information is being kept private? Raise your hand.
You in the back; yes you, the 40 yo virgin who still believes in Santa Claus.
Ain’t it funny how the Federal Government is all about protecting your privacy ... until they want to use it AGAINST you...
The govt doesn’t care about privacy. They want to know every little detail. They’re just confiscating 200 million because they can.
“The govt doesn’t care about privacy. They want to know every little detail. They’re just confiscating 200 million because they can.”
One thief stealing from the other.
You beat me to it. The only fines being paid are by the shareholders and the customers in the form of higher rates to pay for these crimes by the management.
On the other hand, think about how many apps insist on location permissions to “function properly”.
Its not just bad actors taking your info.
Just government trying to make it hard on the competition. No one but Big Brother is allowed to track the peasants.
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