FCC Implements New Pretexting Regulations

6:55 am on April 4, 2007 | Category: Regulation, Telecom Services, Wireless

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In an attempt to protect customers from the practice of pretexting – that is impersonating a user to gain access to call records – the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has voted to prohibit telephone and wireless carriers from releasing personal information to anyone without a specially designated password.

The strict new regulations also require carriers to immediately notify customers when any changes are made to their accounts.

“The unauthorized disclosure of consumers’ private calling records is a significant privacy invasion,” explained FCC Chairman, Kevin Martin, in an official statement. “Compliance with our consumer protection regulations is not optional for any telephone service provider. We need to take whatever actions are necessary to enforce these requirements to secure the privacy of personal and confidential information of American customers.”

Pretexting has become a major issue for the FCC, and the U.S. government as a whole, over the past few months, with President George W. Bush signing a bill attaching criminal penalties to the practice. Both landline and cell phone carriers, as well as VoIP providers, are covered by the new FCC ruling.

The U.S. Telecom Association, which represents the country’s major carriers, opposes the decision, claiming that it violates providers’ First Amendment rights to communicate with customers, and offers an “extremely anti-consumer outcome.”

“We are deeply concerned that the FCC is taking an overly broad approach [that goes] far beyond protecting the legitimate privacy interests of call detail information to preventing any marketing of new services, bundled offerings and new applications,” the Association said in a statement.

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    1. Despite what the WSJ reported, this rule will not hinder the Sprint/Cable joint venture as the companies do not share consumer data, they sell each others service directly.

      Comment by RandomThoughts — April 4, 2007 #

    2. So the next time a government employee calls wanting information quoting the Patriot Act to gather information. They can simply ask for the account password then tell them tough luck right? This may not be so bad then…

      Comment by tk — April 10, 2007 #

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