P5-133XL
07-04-2006, 04:36 AM
AT&T privacy policy overreaches, lawyers say from the Register (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/03/atandt_privacy_policy/)
The revised language, appearing under the heading "Legal Obligations/Fraud" and only accessible to AT&T customers, states:
While your account information may be personal to you, these records constitute business records that are owned by AT&T. As such, AT&T may disclose such records to protect its legitimate business interests, safeguard others, or respond to legal process. Specifically, AT&T provides account information to collection agencies and/or credit bureaus. We may disclose your information in response to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process, or to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims. We may also use your information in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of Service Terms or the Acceptable Use Policy, or as otherwise required or permitted by law.
While this does not apply to telephone usage (only broadband and video customers), I as a AT&T telephone customer switched my long distance provider because of this. I can't imagine rewarding a company with my continued business that declares all personal information to simply be a corporate asset to be used as they see fit. Corporations don't care about individuals, their sole purpose in this world is to make a profit for their shareholders.
I believe that if AT&T can get away with this, then so will every other corporation follow suit. What is needed is a massive customer revolt and then appropiate laws protecting privacy would be good too.
Please join me, in removing your business from AT&T and be sure and call their customer service lines, to tell them why you are leaving...
The revised language, appearing under the heading "Legal Obligations/Fraud" and only accessible to AT&T customers, states:
While your account information may be personal to you, these records constitute business records that are owned by AT&T. As such, AT&T may disclose such records to protect its legitimate business interests, safeguard others, or respond to legal process. Specifically, AT&T provides account information to collection agencies and/or credit bureaus. We may disclose your information in response to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process, or to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims. We may also use your information in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of Service Terms or the Acceptable Use Policy, or as otherwise required or permitted by law.
While this does not apply to telephone usage (only broadband and video customers), I as a AT&T telephone customer switched my long distance provider because of this. I can't imagine rewarding a company with my continued business that declares all personal information to simply be a corporate asset to be used as they see fit. Corporations don't care about individuals, their sole purpose in this world is to make a profit for their shareholders.
I believe that if AT&T can get away with this, then so will every other corporation follow suit. What is needed is a massive customer revolt and then appropiate laws protecting privacy would be good too.
Please join me, in removing your business from AT&T and be sure and call their customer service lines, to tell them why you are leaving...