Verizon Wireless, Privacy, and new Customer Agreement

I received a notice from Verizon that it is changing the Customer Agreement Terms and Agreement for my wireless account. Most specifically, it is changing its privacy policy to share my customer information with its “affiliates, agents, and parent companies (including Vodafone) and their subsidiaries.” Amorphous if you ask me. I’m fine with agents since those companies work on behalf of Verizon. But I wonder how they define affiliates. How many companies are included? And does that include all companies affiliated in any way with Verizon, including parties to huge marketing deals? I’d prefer it post a list to its web site, updated once or twice a year, identifying all its ‘affiliates.’

Not knowing what affiliates means, I did what any sane customer interested in limiting spam does — I opted out by calling the number provided: 800-333-9956. It was simple. It asked for my phone number, zip code, and the last four digits of my social security number. It even let me enter multiple phone numbers.

If you’re a Verizon customer, I suggest you also opt-out. That is, unless you want more snail mail to shred. 😉

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