🖇 Verizon opting iPhone users into data collection and tracking
Andrew Paul, writing at Input
A new program innocuously titled the “Verizon Custom Experience” is sold to users as a way for the company to “personalize our communications with you, give you more relevant product and service recommendations, and develop plans, services and offers that are more appealing to you.” To accomplish this, all a Verizon subscriber needs to do is… allow the company access to all the websites you visit, apps you use, as well as see everyone you happen to call and text.
Well, okay, so that’s a bit misleading. You don’t “need” to allow access — Verizon already default granted it. You can manually go in and change a few settings to remedy the situation, though. Here’s how.
Emma Roth, writing at The Verge
In April, T-Mobile started automatically enrolling users in a program that shares your data with advertisers unless you manually opt-out from your privacy settings. On AT&T’s privacy center, the company says that it collects web and browsing information, along with the apps you use, and that you can manage these settings from AT&T’s site.
I checked my account settings in the Verizon mobile app and sure enough I was opted-in. This is total fucking bullshit!
Here’s how to opt-out:
- Visit the My Verizon app, then click on Settings (the gear in the top-right corner)
- Once logged in, scroll down to Manage Privacy settings.
- Select the phone you want to update.
- Toggle off “Custom Experience” and “Custom Experience Plus.”