Verizoff
As if its ludicrously high prices weren’t enough, Verizon is now watching everything we do on our phones.
At some point in the past year or two (no one seems to be sure because it was done surreptitiously), Verizon Wireless began injecting unique identifiers (UIDs) into the web traffic of its users. These “perma-cookies” make it possible for Verizon, as well as any website you visit, to monitor you across the Internet.
Now an advertising company, Turn, is using those UIDs to track users in a way that is not possible to disable, no matter what the user does. Clearing cookies, ever the band-aid to online tracking, doesn’t work here. ProPublica is accurately calling this the “zombie cookie” in that no matter how many times you delete/kill it, it will rise from the grave to haunt you.
This is absolutely disgusting. If you have service with Verizon, you know they charge an arm and leg and are by far the most expensive wireless provider. Nevertheless, Verizon apparently believes that my service fees are not enough, and that I deserve to have all of my activities on the web tracked by unscrupulous entities with whom I am not familiar and have certainly not consented to do business.
AT&T was using perma-cookies also, but stopped as soon as it became public knowledge. Verizon, on the other hand, tried to explain in its trademark marketing gibberish that this was somehow for the benefit of its users. So not only do they rake you over the coals in fees and track you online, they insult your intelligence by telling you that it’s for your own good.
F#©& you, Verizon. Your network may be good, but it isn’t so magical that I won’t cancel my service the day my contract is up. I’ll gladly opt for another dropped call here or there before I choose to stay on your “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength” bandwagon.
Please, sign this EFF petition, and then consult this list of apps to protect yourself.
Update (January 30, 2015)
Apparently Verizon is now going to let you opt out entirely. It only took them months and months, and almost weekly articles in the tech press, to force their hands on this.
The NYT article detailing the change says that, just as you would expect from the consumer-hating management of Verizon Wireless, you will have to take affirmative steps to prevent them from using zombie cookies on your account. Naturally they won’t use an opt-in model, because, well, eff you, that’s why.
I dropped Verizon over this issue. Fortunately I was able to avoid an ETF because they recently increased their “Administrative Fee”, which constitutes a “material adverse effect” that (sometimes) lets you escape without the associated penalty. If you want to try to do the same, you’ve got around 30 more days to do so. Good luck.
