Personal Info Up For the Buying? VZW, AT&T?

Providers and big retailers have bought and sold our information for years but until our vast attachment to technology developed to the point it is now, targeted marketing wasn’t always the easiest.  Well, it just got easier.  When you purchase a new smartphone through AT&T or Verizon Wireless, you are automatically enrolled in a data/location/browser information sharing ring.  When you bought your phone recently…did you read ALL of the contract?  Yeah, I didn’t when I bought my last smartphone either, or the first several for that matter.  Companies are always looking for ways to “bump” the bottom line, turns out selling our info is next on the block and is up for auction.  

I know what your thinking, “What the Hell is VZW and AT&T doing?”  Well, in fact, working within the constraints of the contract we all sign when buying a new smartphone.  With the cost of plans on the rise, no more unlimited data at either of these two companies, and declining customer support (had a friend told to pull a battery on a phone with an embedded battery, LOL) our information is the next logical piece to be sold, shortly thereafter the companies sell their souls because that’s all that’s left.  

Now for the good news, you can Opt out of the process at Verizon with in 30 days, yes only 30 days, and you can do so by following this Link Here.

Update:  Per VZW (Thank you Ms. Lewis) To be clear, customers can change their privacy preferences at any time through MyVerizon or other channels.  They have choice and contol over those settings.

AT&T customers can OPT out at this Link Here.  (AT&T doesn’t limit you to 30 days.)

 So get out there and stand up for whats right, stand up for YOUR INFORMATION and click the OPT OUT button and help us all take a stand, we pay these guys enough, why should they be able to make money with our information, why should we pay them to use our info and make money on us…twice?

Just my .02, what do you think?  We’d like to know.

Zachdroid….OUT

Sources:  BGR, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, GigaOM, Androinica