XPost: alt.cellular.verizon, alt.politics.usa.constitution   
   From: notreal@notreal.com   
      
   On 4/26/2014 11:45 PM, Jack Ryan wrote:   
   > The carrier will monitor not just your wireless activities but   
   > also what you do on your wired or Wi-Fi-connected computers,   
   > then share that data with marketers.   
   >   
   > As far as corporate notices go, they don't get much creepier   
   > than this recent alert from Verizon Wireless.   
   >   
   > The company says it's "enhancing" its Relevant Mobile   
   > Advertising program, which it uses to collect data on customers'   
   > online habits so that marketers can pitch stuff at them with   
   > greater precision.   
   >   
   > "In addition to the customer information that's currently part   
   > of the program, we will soon use an anonymous, unique identifier   
   > we create when you register on our websites," Verizon Wireless   
   > is telling customers.   
   >   
   > "This identifier may allow an advertiser to use information they   
   > have about your visits to websites from your desktop computer to   
   > deliver marketing messages to mobile devices on our network," it   
   > says.   
   >   
   > That means exactly what it looks like: Verizon will monitor not   
   > just your wireless activities but also what you do on your wired   
   > or Wi-Fi-connected laptop or desktop computer — even if your   
   > computer doesn't have a Verizon connection.   
   >   
   > The company will then share that additional data with marketers.   
   >   
   > Joanne Schwartz, 65, of Tustin received the Verizon Wireless   
   > notice last week.   
   >   
   > "Verizon makes it seem like they are doing us a great favor,"   
   > she told me. But what the company is really doing, she said, is   
   > collecting data on her whole family's computer usage and sharing   
   > it with its business partners.   
   >   
   > Schwartz's verdict: "Horrible."   
   >   
   > Even worse, Verizon is enrolling customers in the "enhanced"   
   > program by automatically downloading software into their   
   > computers, which customers may not even know is happening.   
   >   
   > If Verizon Wireless customers want to keep their computers off-   
   > limits to the company's marketing affiliates, they'd have to go   
   > to the trouble of opting out.   
   >   
   > This is one of the more outrageous examples of how businesses   
   > loudly proclaim their commitment to safeguarding consumers'   
   > privacy while quietly selling us out to the highest bidder.   
   >   
   > "The holy grail for profiling people is to follow them from one   
   > device to another," said Paul Stephens, director of policy and   
   > advocacy for the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in San Diego.   
   > "We're going to see more and more of this."   
   >   
   > I wrote last week about how Verizon and AT&T slap customers with   
   > hefty monthly fees if they want an unlisted phone number. Call   
   > it a privacy premium.   
   >   
   > What Verizon Wireless is doing with targeted ads is basically   
   > what Google, Yahoo and most other big Internet companies do —   
   > leveraging data about your cyber-behavior to boost marketing   
   > money.   
   >   
   > But here's the thing: Google and Yahoo offer lots of cool free   
   > services, such as Gmail and Yahoo Finance. Their aggressive data   
   > collection is how they help subsidize these offerings.   
   >   
   > In Verizon Wireless' case, customers pay them upfront for the   
   > services they receive. Thus, any additional revenue the company   
   > can pocket from data collection is above and beyond what it's   
   > already earning.   
   >   
   > Since Verizon Wireless clearly isn't offering its service at a   
   > loss, this extra cash is nothing but gravy.   
   >   
   > Customers may be hard-pressed to understand fully what's going   
   > on with the "enhanced" program. The Verizon Wireless notice is   
   > decidedly short on details.   
   >   
   > Debra Lewis, a Verizon Wireless spokeswoman, explained to me   
   > that when a customer registers on the company's "My Verizon"   
   > website to see a bill or watch TV online, a "cookie," or   
   > tracking software, is downloaded onto the customer's home   
   > computer.   
   >   
   > http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-   
   > 20140425,0,2539606.column   
   >   
      
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