Is Verizon planning to spy on its customers? You might conclude that it is after reading Verizon's privacy policy on an upcoming AppFlash service, which promises easier access to search and apps on Android phones. The policy says Verizon may share data on features and services you use, along with the list of apps you have installed on your phone, with other Verizon businesses to target ads.
The privacy watchdog Electronic Frontier Foundation described AppFlash as "spyware."
Not so fast, Verizon says. In a statement to clarify its intentions, Verizon says users must explicitly grant permission before using AppFlash. Verizon says customers will be able to easily disable the service, and no one will be required to use it.
The statement, however, doesn't say exactly what permission Verizon is seeking. The privacy policy says users can control AppFlash's access to your location and contact information, but says nothing about giving control over broader usage data. At most, users can turn off ad tracking on the phone by digging through the settings.
The EFF has since retracted Thursday's blog post, pending further investigation. The group had said AppFlash represents Verizon's intention "to start monetizing its customers' private data as soon as possible." The post came just days after Congress voted to block Obama-era restrictions on what internet-access companies like Verizon could do with information about you.
Verizon has gotten heat over user privacy before. Last year, Verizon agreed to pay a $1.35 million fine over a "supercookie" that federal regulators said followed phone customers on the internet without their permission.
The complaints come as Verizon evolves into an advertising business, with the purchase of AOL in 2015 and the upcoming acquisition of Yahoo's internet businesses. Verizon, in knowing what web sites and apps you use, could charge companies more for ads that are targeted to your personal...
April 03, 2017 at 11:19PM
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