Security News > 2020 > February > Report: FCC to Fine US Carriers Over Location Data Sales

The Federal Communications Commission Friday proposed fines against the nation's four largest wireless carriers for selling real-time mobile phone location data without taking reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to that information.

In Friday statement, Paj said: "The FCC has long had clear rules on the books requiring all phone companies to protect their customers' personal information. And since 2007, these companies have been on notice that they must take reasonable precautions to safeguard this data and that the FCC will take strong enforcement action if they don't. Today, we do just that. This FCC will not tolerate phone companies putting Americans' privacy at risk."

Reporting by Motherboard and The New York Times found that U.S. carriers sold location data to a variety of companies, who then sold it to bail bondsmen and law enforcement, where it appeared to be improperly used to track people.

Mobile carriers have sold location data to middlemen that then supply access to the data for purposes such as roadside assistance.

Motherboard paid $300 to locate a mobile phone on T-Mobile's network, first contacting a bail bondsman who then obtained the accurate location data through a middleman.

News URL

https://www.inforisktoday.com/report-fcc-to-fine-us-carriers-over-location-data-sales-a-13795