WASHINGTON-A privacy group petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to require mobile phone operators and other telecom carriers to better safeguard subscribers’ calling records.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center said the FCC has focused to date on notice and disclosure requirements necessary to disseminate consumer proprietary network information, or CPNI, data to carrier affiliates and third parties for marketing purposes.
“However, these efforts did not adequately address third-party data brokers and private investigators that have been accessing CPNI without authorization. Data brokers and private investigators are taking advantage of inadequate security through pretexting, the practice of pretending to have authority to access protected records; through cracking consumers’ online accounts with communications carriers; and possibly through dishonest insiders at carriers,” said EPIC.
