[EPIC_IDOF] Getting consumers' consent to sell cellphone tracking data

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>
Date: November 29, 2005 12:12:46 PM EST
To: EPIC_IDOF () mailman epic org
Subject: [EPIC_IDOF] Getting consumers' consent to sell cellphone  
tracking data

Hi,

The Baltimore Sun and New York Times recently ran articles about the  
State
of Maryland getting ready to roll out a traffic flow monitoring  
system which
works by tracking the position of cellphones which are being carried in
cars.  The Baltimore Sun article is still online at this URL:

   Cell phone data tracing traffic in Md.
   System 'watches' vehicles, raises fears about privacy
   http://tinyurl.com/7we6q

Virginia and Missouri are also about ready to test similar systems.

I want to see a requirement put into place that wireless companies  
must get
a customer's written consent before any of  their cellphone position  
data is
turned over to a third-party for any uses not related to making  
cellphone
calls.

I recent contacted the Maryland Highway Department and requested a  
copy of
the contract for the system.  The contract is now online as a Word  
document
file on my Web site:

   http://www.computerbytesman.com/privacy/mdotcontract.doc

I haven't had time to review the contract yet, but I did see that the  
funds
for this Maryland project are coming from the Federal Highway  
Administration
(http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/).  Perhaps the FHWA are the folks who  
should be
requiring consumers to provide consent to have their cellphone  
position data
sold to other companies.

Richard M. Smith
http://www.ComputerBytesMan.com



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