The Scary Thing Your Cell Phone Provider Is Doing
You may not realize how your cell phone provider is using your data, learn what they are up to and how to protect yourself.
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Cell phone providers are keeping more info than you may realize, and depending upon your provider, the length they retain it varies. In recent news outlets like CNN, reports are coming to light surrounding details of your cell phone data like the length of time your phone has been somewhere and its exact location.
Your cell phone provider may be asked to turn over this info to the police, the government, or other entities as they look to gather background on specific cases. According to CNN, carrier letters from the FCC were made public last week detailing how “telecom companies, not just tech platforms, cooperate with government requests for personal information…”
This news may be surprising to some — and has been a cause of concern with many data privacy watchdogs. In light of America’s new Supreme Court ruling on abortion, critics now worry that cellular location data from cell phone providers may be used to prosecute those seeking to acquire an abortion. Now that states can regulate when and if any abortion, necessary or otherwise, can occur, women or couples may have to travel outside of their state to obtain the medical procedure.
When a government entity with an official warrant asks for data, including a specific location and time, the cell phone provider must hand it over. Suddenly, a personal matter doesn’t seem so private. In addition to obtaining the cell phone data from the cell phone provider itself, the government can also turn to the open market and purchase the data they are looking for themselves. US lawmakers are now questioning this practice.
Depending on your cell phone provider, the amount of time they hold personal info varies wildly. From a few months to many years. This means that where you have traveled — and for what purposes— can be corroborated based on those records. Although the FCC has not explicitly mentioned reproductive care or abortion in their report, many watchdog agencies infer the dangers.
According to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, “Given the highly sensitive nature of this data — especially when location data is combined with other types of data, how this data is stored and shared with third parties is of utmost importance to consumer safety and privacy.” In some cases, consumers may be able to opt-out of data collection practices from their cell phone provider, but generally, opting out completely is impossible.
Cell phone providers have reported that capturing data is essential for their daily operations to ensure the network is operating at expectation standards, to capture emergency calls and locations (like calls to 911), or to update traffic patterns or wait times at stores. AT&T has reported using personal data to serve up targeted advertising content.
Following the surfacing of this latest news, we here at Tell Me Best offered some tips on how to keep your data secure, and as private as possible. These practices should help; however, if a government entity demands information from a cell phone provider, they must turn it over. It’s up to consumers to practice safe digital practices as much as they can.
The Electric Frontier Foundation, a digital rights group, recently published a report outlining that data is often used to weaponize ideals or is misused by the local state, or national government. Although cell phone provider data may be used to locate someone in distress when they call 911 from the 7th Floor of a burning building, for example, it can also be used to corroborate where someone was at a specific time, even when they aren’t in an emergency situation.
In light of this information and recent Supreme Court rulings, Chairwoman Rosenworcel has asked that the enforcement bureau dig deeper to find out if cell phone providers are doing enough to tell consumers exactly what information is being stored about them and how that info is handled.
Consumers must read the fine print closely when signing up with a new cell phone provider. Knowing where and how personal data and info can be shared is more important than ever. Changing laws and regulations and how they differ from state to state can turn your cell phone into a gigantic and red flag.
Although the intent to break the law may not be at the forefront of someone’s mind, consumers need to be aware of how their personal data could be used in a court of law. Chances are that your cell phone is always with you, like a best friend. But now, your cell phone provider can turn your phone into your biggest enemy. Just when you thought Tik Tok songs were the biggest thing to worry about, catchy earworms that you just can’t shake no longer seem like a big deal.
