AOL: 'The Market' Will Prevent Abuse of Verizon Stealth Cookies As we noted earlier this week, Verizon has expanded the use of its wireless traffic header injection tracking technology so it's now being used across the entire, Verizon-owned AOL network. For those who missed it, Verizon earlier this year was caught modifying wireless user data streams to inject a unique identifier header (UIDH) that allows users to be tracked as they wander the Internet -- regardless of their personal browser preferences.

It took security researchers two years to even realize what Verizon was doing, and another six months of pressure to make Verizon include a working opt-out function. Still, the headers are unencrypted and tacked on to all Verizon Wireless user packets, opening the door to potential abuse by third parties. Responding to criticism this week about the growing use of the trackers, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong urged those concerned not to worry, because "the market" would certainly prevent anybody from abusing the unique identifiers. That's at least according to Verizon-owned Techcrunch, who couldn't be bothered to include a single sentence on the downsides of such a system: quote: He said the market would prevent companies from abusing the swaths of data they collected. “ If consumers don’t trust you it’s not worth whatever you’re going to do with the data ,” Armstrong said. “Verizon is probably more sensitive to data than most Internet companies.” Armstrong said he would not want to be at a company in the future that had the opportunity to gather and optimize data and didn’t use it. "Data is oil for this economy,” Armstrong said. “Oil can be used really well, and oil can be used really poorly.” Here's perhaps a newsflash for Armstrong: people don't really trust Verizon. Whether it's the company's refusal to Here's perhaps a newsflash for Armstrong: people don't really trust Verizon. Whether it's the company's refusal to repair disaster-impacted broadband users , its ultra-close ties to the NSA, its abysmal history of gatekeeper abuses or its awful reputation for taking billions in subsidies in exchange for empty promises , "trust" isn't a word that people generally associate with Armstrong's new boss. Similarly, a company that's "more sensitive to data than most Internet companies" doesn't hide its manipulation of user traffic for two years, then fail to offer an opt-out mechanism. Back in 2008 Verizon argued we didn't need tougher privacy rules because "public shame" would keep the company honest when it comes to user privacy. Except that it didn't. The public couldn't shame Verizon over its stealth "cookies" because nobody knew Verizon was doing it for two years. Similarly users haven't had much luck "shaming" Verizon into shutting down the program or at the very least making it opt in. What "the market" appears to want is unabashed use and abuse of every drop of user data with fleeting security, privacy protections and user control. Armstrong, meanwhile, perfectly mirrors Verizon's tone deafness when it comes to consumers not wanting their packets modified and their online-activity tracked by default. What "the market" appears to want is unabashed use and abuse of every drop of user data with fleeting security, privacy protections and user control. Armstrong, meanwhile, perfectly mirrors Verizon's tone deafness when it comes to consumers not wanting their packets modified and their online-activity tracked by default.







News Jump Charter Relaunches Free 60-day Internet And Wi-Fi Offer; NCTA: FCC Should Stick With 25/3 Speed Threshold; + more news Comcast Shuts Off Internet for Subs Who Were Sold Service Illegally; AT&T, Verizon Team To Stop T-Mobile 5G; + more news California Defends Its Net Neutrality Law; AT&T's Traffic Up 20% Despite Data Traffic Actually Being Down; + more news Are The Comcast-Charter X1 Talks Dead In The Water?; AT&T May Offer Phone Plans With Ads For Discounts; + more news Europe's Top Court: Net Neutrality Rules Bar Zero Rating; ViacomCBS To Rebrand CBS All Access As Paramount+; + more news Verizon To Buy Reseller TracFone For $7B; 5G Not The Competitive Threat To Cable Many Thought It Would Be; + more news MS.Wants Records From AT&T On $300M Project; Google Fiber Outages In Austin, Houston, Other Texan Cities; + more news States With The Biggest Decreases In Speed; AT&T Hopes You'll Forget Its Fight Against Accurate Maps; + more news AT&T's CEO Has A Familiar $olution To US Broadband Woes; EarthLink Files Suit Against Charter; + more news 5G Doesn't Live Up To Hype, AT&T's 5G Slower Than Its 4G; Cord-Cutting Now In 37% of Broadband Households; + more news ---------------------- this week last week most discussed

Most recommended from 24 comments

kaila

join:2000-10-11

Lincolnshire, IL 18 recommendations kaila Member Yeah, probably not..... quote: ....Armstrong said. Verizon is probably more sensitive to data than most Internet companies. When you aren't transparent about who you are sharing user data with or even willing to admit doing it (before getting caught), you're probably not 'sensitive' to users data other than figuring out how best to monetize it. When you aren't transparent about who you are sharing user data with or even willing to admit doing it (before getting caught), you're probably not 'sensitive' to users data other than figuring out how best to monetize it.

Evergreener

Sent By Grocery Clerks

join:2001-02-20

Evergreen, CO 11 recommendations Evergreener Member Let me get this right... So Verizon-owned media outlet TechCrunch is telling us that there is nothing to worry about with regards to Verizon's "wireless traffic header injection tracking technology" that is being utilized across Verizon-owned AOL's network?



What's next... Comcast acquires the rest of Vox Media and The Verge starts touting Comcast's superior customer service and consumer-friendly pricing structure?

seaman

Premium Member

join:2000-12-08

Seattle, WA 10 recommendations seaman Premium Member The best of DSLReports... I am quite thankful that Karl (and other contributors at DSLR) are covering important news and helping shine a light on this type of questionable activity so we as consumers can be more informed and aware. This isnt the longest story I have ever read here but it is certainly one of the best.

borked

Cheese With That Whine?

Premium Member

join:2003-08-10

North Fort Myers, FL 6 recommendations borked Premium Member Bye-Bye TechCrunch is now off my list of daily site visits. The Antihero

join:2002-04-09

Enola, PA 6 recommendations The Antihero Member I've heard this before Remember when the telemarketing industry claimed that they could be trusted to self-regulate?



Yeah, I'm not buying it this time either.

Flyonthewall

@teksavvy.com 5 recommendations Flyonthewall Anon To quote a popular actor now deceased "And if my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a wagon." - Scotty, Star Trek III



Don't Believe A Single Word. elefante72

join:2010-12-03

East Amherst, NY 3 recommendations elefante72 Member This will never be solved by the "market"



In this case, I think the government should help protect us (maybe states first), since they already monitor everything, how hard would it be to monitor the operators Because there is a very lucrative "market" for collecting such data it will require legislation to protect the citizens, or some technology to deter it which means the user will have to probably PAY to defeat something that Verizon is making money off of without the vast majority of folks even know what AOL was purchased for: Monetizing your user habits to the max and maybe throw an ad.In this case, I think the government should help protect us (maybe states first), since they already monitor everything, how hard would it be to monitor the operators

vircotto

Premium Member

join:2002-06-04

searching... 2 recommendations vircotto Premium Member Read my lips.... He said the market would prevent companies from abusing the swaths of data they collected. If consumers dont trust you its not worth whatever youre going to do with the data, Armstrong said. Read my lips, I don't trust you with my data. And a lot of consumers don't trust you with their data. When can we expect your confirmation that since it is not worth doing anything with our data, you will no longer collect it? I wait with baited breath. Read my lips, I don't trust you with my data. And a lot of consumers don't trust you with their data. When can we expect your confirmation that since it is not worth doing anything with our data, you will no longer collect it? I wait with baited breath.