Verizon is alerting customers this week, by email, that the company will track, store, and share their location, what apps and devices they use, what websites they visit, what keywords they use in searches, and more, in an effort to provide more targeted advertisements to the customer. Customer information will be used in this manner by default, though customers can opt out.
Verizon also said it will use demographic and interest categories provided by other companies, “such as gender, age range, sports fan, frequent diner, or pet owner.”
The information is to be used, according to Verizon, to provide more relevant mobile advertising to the customer, and also for the creation of Verizon business and marketing reports, and for the creation of other companies business and marketing reports. They state that they will share location data, but not personally identifying information, with other companies.
Verizon is allowing customers to opt out of the program by calling 1-866-211-0874, or through their site at http://ww.vzw.com/myprivacy. Verizon notes that Family SharePlan or multi-line customers must opt out separately for each phone line they do not want in the program.
Those who opt out will still get ads, apparently they just won’t be as targeted.
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