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Verizon pays $7.4 million fine for violating customers’ privacy

Published Sep 3rd, 2014 8:00PM EDT
Verizon FCC Customer Privacy Fine

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Verizon for years violated its customers’ privacy by using their personal information to market them services without giving them the option to opt out… and it will only cost the company $7.4 million.

MORE VERIZON FOLLIES: Verizon sends email on customer’s behalf without telling him as part of sleazy PR campaign

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Federal Communications Commission has fined Verizon $7.4 million for using roughly 2 million customers’ personal information for marketing purposes without informing them that it was doing so and without letting them know they could opt out of the program.

A Verizon spokesman tells the Journal that these 2 million customers should have received notices that they could opt out of the company’s marketing program but for some reason were never given the message.

“It did not involve a data breach or an unauthorized disclosure of customer information to third parties,” the spokesman explains.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.