Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
Dan2304234
Enthusiast - Level 1

You can improve it by allowing people to opt-out.

As clearly explained by EFF (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/11/verizon-x-uidh), there are major privacy issues.

This is a major black eye for Verizon, and a major lie to consumers and our government (AT& T, Verizon to Refrain From Tracking Users Online).

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
mikkibarry_esq
Enthusiast - Level 3

Verizon, we are STILL WAITING.  AT&T has come clean and decided NOT to track

AT&T drops 'super cookies' from cellphone data | The Miami Herald

Meantime, YOU, Verizon, had promised in 2008 that you would not track.  You lied. 

AT& T, Verizon to Refrain From Tracking Users Online

I ask you yet again...How do I opt out of this UIDH tracker, or how do I cancel my accounts for all devices and go elsewhere without penalty? 

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
PortalX
Enthusiast - Level 2

I just got off the phone with Verizon. It was the 9th time I have called about this and was told the legal dept. said it is in the TOS that they can modify web traffic from their phones. I say that's BS because AT&T said they removed it because the practice made it nearly impossible to shield their customers identities online.

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
mikkibarry_esq
Enthusiast - Level 3

They put that in the TOS AFTER we had a contract with the company.  They did not inform us that it was changed.  They are supposed to inform us of material changes and give us the opportunity to end our contracts without termination fees if we do not agree with a material change.  This is one of the worst material changes they could have made.  So even on the basis of contract, they are wrong.  Did they provide you with an ECPA analysis?

Meantime, sign this petition:

https://www.change.org/p/verizon-wireless-stop-destroying-privacy-by-tracking-users?utm_medium=email...

This should NOT be allowed to continue.

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
PortalX
Enthusiast - Level 2

I just received an email from the FCC saying verizon has 30 days to respond to my complaint. The response should be interesting to say the least.

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
mikkibarry_esq
Enthusiast - Level 3

Amazing.  I just sent a complaint to the FTC.  I'm trying to find my information and complaint number from the FCC.

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
mikkibarry_esq
Enthusiast - Level 3

This is what I sent to the FTC. 

In 2008, Verizon Wireless promised a Senate committee that they would not track users.  Sometime between then and about 2 months ago, Verizon planted an "x-UIDH" field into every Internet header used by every Verizon Wireless user. The field is a unique identifier, purportedly used to track users who do not opt out, to provide targeted advertising.  However, these unique identifiers can and have been used on websites and logins such as twitter to couple users PII to the identifier, tracking the user across the Internet, where others who are not associated with Verizon Wireless in any way, can track a user from website to website, collecting as much personal information as possible, across the world.


Some of us were induced by and relied upon Verizon's 2008 promise, and by no mention of this "super cookie" in their privacy policy, to remain with Verizon's CDMA network rather than switch to another provider.  Many of us paid to upgrade our phones, further tying us to Verizon.  Imagine how privacy savvy users felt when it was discovered  through third parties that we could be stalked through these UIDH headers.  And yes, you read that right, Verizon did not disclose this to users, the Electronic Frontier Foundation did. Even now, Verizon has not publicly disclosed their privacy destroying ways. I asked Verizon on Twitter, on Facebook, and on their own forums how users could opt out of having this added header in our Internet streams.  There is no technical reason for it whatsoever, even on Verizon's own network.  Each response I received from Verizon was either obsfucating information, telling me how to opt out of the advertising scheme rather than the actual non consensual tracking malware, or telling me how much Verizon values my privacy while simultaneously destroying it in a far more dangerous way than anyone else has to date.  They even set up a website to lie to customers by saying this tracker is "harmless"  because they (Verizon) is not using it to track you if you opt out.  [content deleted for my own protection] after I started a petition drive on Change.org.


I have appealed to the FCC, and now I'm appealing to you.  Please either force Verizon to remove this unnecessary and harmful tracker, or have them provide any user who desires it, a refund for any equipment purchased between their promise of 9/26/2008 and whatever date they finally choose to inform its users in a conspicuous manner that they are being tracked, and allow us to leave for another provider without an early termination fee.  It's only fair.

end ftc complaint

Verizon, we are still waiting.  I requested your privacy office to provide me more information in response to an email.  It did not happen.  I've asked you here to respond.  It did not happen.  I've asked you on Facebook and Twitter.  Still no response.  Does this mean that you have no intention to remove the tracker or to do right by those of us you broke your 2008 promise to?  As you can see, I'm not going away. 

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
A_Woman
Enthusiast - Level 3

An update:

I checked the header of my browser a couple of days ago (at both links provided earlier in this thread) and noticed that the UID is gone. I also had a message that Verizon was trying to contact me regarding my complaint to the FCC. I talked to the woman from Verizon and told her that since the UID has been removed, the matter is resolved unless I see it again, in which case I will continue filing complaints. I wouldn't put up with an ISP inserting a tracking UID into the browser of my home or office computer, so why in the world would I tolerate a wireless provider doing that to my smart phone? Verizon is acting as an ISP when it provides internet service to its wireless subscribers ya know...

Folks need to realize/remember/understand that a smart phone is really a personal, portable computer containing a great deal of personal information about its owner, the contacts stored on it, personal browsing habits, passwords, accounts, call logs, personal and business communications, even geographic activity tracking; Its only resemblance to a landline is that it has a wireless phone app built into it.

Please help protect your personal freedom and take the time to complain to the FCC.

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
mikkibarry_esq
Enthusiast - Level 3

Unfortunately, according to amibeingtracked.com, they are still broadcasting a UIDH I have complained to the FCC and to the FTC but have not yet been contacted, which I find to be a bit unusual to say the least.  I will contact both agencies tomorrow. 

Is it possible that you could have been checking with your wifi turned on?  That will give you a false negative.

Re: How can I opt out of the broadcast UID Verizon has been putting in all of my web traffic, austensibly to track me despite opting out of targetted advertising?
belarm
Enthusiast - Level 3

I verified the X-UIDH header was gone using my own machine (nc -n -l

xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 80 on a linux box, to be precise), and can verify that it's

now back. I'm still opted out of CPNI, but there's the tracking header

again. I also can't seem to get the chat option to work via the website

anymore - I presume I've been blocked for my numerous complaints & requests

for them to stop endangering my privacy.

Where/how did you file your FCC complaint? I've called them before, but I'm

not sure I've sent them anything via the web or email. FTC contact info

would be appreciated, too >:-|

On Sun, Dec 7, 2014 at 3:09 PM, mikkibarry.esq <forums@verizonwireless.com>