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AT&T, Verizon Using 'Perma-Cookies' to Track Customer Web Activity
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Better than nothing, but yes, there should be a way of opting out of having a perma-cookie on our devices.
I visit the AT&T site from my iPhone 6 and it tells me I am connected to Wifi. I'm not connected to wifi, using 4G. Any similar experiences?
(Update) Figured it out - AT&T's site treats 4G as Wifi, you have to be on LTE from the iPhone 6 for it to work. Nice AT&T
(Update) Figured it out - AT&T's site treats 4G as Wifi, you have to be on LTE from the iPhone 6 for it to work. Nice AT&T
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Big Data has been collecting your info for years. Every company does it. How is this any different than 100% of every other company?
It's nice to know that in the US no one is an only child. We all have a big brother.
This is insane! All we are to these companies is a wallet. And the government apparently doesn't care. If we had a choice of switching to a company that cared more about our privacy, I wouldn't mind. But they're all doing it.
This is insane! All we are to these companies is a wallet. And the government apparently doesn't care. If we had a choice of switching to a company that cared more about our privacy, I wouldn't mind. But they're all doing it.
Doesn't seems to work. I recall that I opted out of everything ad related from Verizon a long time ago. I just check and I'm opted out of all the stuff. However, when I visited the page, it shows that I'm still been actively tracked. So unless the opted is BS, or there is some flow with the website.
Unfortunately, our politicians representing both sides are in bed with the telecom lobbyists who funnel them huge ammounts of campaign dollars. These lobbyists have our politicians in their back pockets and that's just the way it works here in the good 'ol U.S.A.
I don't know about AT&T, but Verizon at least sent me a notification that this was happening, so I just followed their instructions for opting out.
But this seems like the kind of thing that all carriers are currently doing or will soon be doing. It's not enough that the carriers make money hand over fist from us, they have to line their pockets by selling our browsing habits to advertisers as well.
But this seems like the kind of thing that all carriers are currently doing or will soon be doing. It's not enough that the carriers make money hand over fist from us, they have to line their pockets by selling our browsing habits to advertisers as well.
any server could make use of the ID numbers, correct. Verizon may be using them, but so can anybody downstream.
Am I the only one who finds it outrageous that these companies are inserting tracking IDs into our HTTP requests? I pay them to transport my data, they have *no* business in altering my traffic in any way, shape or form. How is this even legal? 
Wouldn't injecting a unique identifier in all your web traffic defeat the benefits of VPN?
With VPN, Verizon may not be able to directly read your traffic data nor directly see what sites you visit, but the sites you visit (and all the trackers and beacons on those sites) would theoretically be able to see your unique identifier and then their tracking/advertising network could compile your web history despite the VPN.
That's the thing: They are not placing anything on your phone. They insert the tracking IDs into your traffic as it passes through their network. There is nothing you can do about it except encrypting your traffic (using a VPN or forcing HTTPS everywhere).
This has nothing to do with placing a cookie on your phone. They can already identify who you are based on your phone, but they are now hijacking your online communications and injecting a unique identifier in all your web data while you're on their cellular network.
This sort of behavior may, in fact, be a violation of law.
The telcos are injecting a unique identifier into your browser; that ID can later be tied to your identity then retroactively correlated with other behavior. Some of that "other behavior" may be protected under the law, such as accessing medical records, etc.
You can be certain that third-parties are already taking advantage of these unique IDs, without ever having any kind of relationship with the telcos.
I would suggest that everyone file a complaint with the FCC, just for starters. Since the telcos are interfering with your connection to the Internet, they might also be guilty of false advertising and/or various forms of fraud.
The telcos are injecting a unique identifier into your browser; that ID can later be tied to your identity then retroactively correlated with other behavior. Some of that "other behavior" may be protected under the law, such as accessing medical records, etc.
You can be certain that third-parties are already taking advantage of these unique IDs, without ever having any kind of relationship with the telcos.
I would suggest that everyone file a complaint with the FCC, just for starters. Since the telcos are interfering with your connection to the Internet, they might also be guilty of false advertising and/or various forms of fraud.