Intellectual Property Law

AT&T Unveils New Privacy Policy. No, Really

By Ryan Singel

AT&T has a new privacy policy, and this time it means it.

Even the New York Times‘ Saul Hansell says it seems earnest, despite all that messiness with helping the National Security Agency warrantlessly wiretap the internet for years.

Here’s the summary of AT&T’s new company-wide policy.

* We will protect your privacy and keep your personal information safe. We use powerful encryption and other security safeguards to protect customer data.
* We will not sell your personal information to anyone, for any purpose. Period.
* We will fully disclose our privacy policies in plain language, and make our policies easily accessible to you.
* We will notify you of any revisions to our privacy policy, in advance. No surprises.
* You have choices about how AT&T uses your information for marketing purposes. Customers are in control.
* We’re listening. You can send us questions or feedback on any of our privacy policies.

We’re also sure that if the company is ever caught violating its policy or federal law, it would accept responsibility. The last thing it would do when busted letting the nation’s spooks have access to its massive internet backbone is hire a bunch of connected lobbyists, start making campaign contributions to key senators and get Congress to pass a law making it impossible for citizens to ask a court to hear their grievances, even if they do have proof.

No, AT&T would never do that.

Hey, forget all that history. Look at our pretty privacy policy page. It even has JavaScript and embedded video!

Okay, okay, okay.

And the new policy is actually honest. Look at the last bullet point carefully and read slowly. “We’re listening.”

Finally, the truth.

See Also:

• Democratic Lawmaker Pushing Immunity Is Newly Flush With Telco …
• Obama Administration Supports Telco Spy Immunity
• Google Privacy Practices Worse Than ISP Snooping, AT&T Charges …
• AT&T Tells Court That Secret Wiretapping Destroys Privacy (in 1927 …
• AT&T Embraces BitTorrent, May Consider Usage-Based Pricing …
• FBI Confirms Contracts with AT&T, Verizon and MCI
• AT&T Whistleblower: Spy Bill Creates ‘Infrastructure for a Police …

Full post as published by Threat Level on June 11, 2009 (boomark / email).