Your Phone Records for Sale

If you believed the detective stories, you'd think your phone records are super-secret, and only the cleverest gumshoe could con (or charm) their way into getting that information.

The reality is that your phone records may be readily for sale. That information is called Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), and the FCC allows your phone company to sell it.

The phone companies probably will say it's alright, because customers have the right to opt-out of CPNI disclosure. Fat chance. Until recently I never knew what CPNI was, let alone that I could opt-out.

The good news is that not all phone providers will disclose your CPNI. Sprint PCS, for instance, will not disclose CPNI outside the company and requires that contractors assure the security of CPNI. I commend them for not exploiting this information.

Want to know more? First thing is to review the privacy policy of your phone provider. For more information, visit the CPNI Page at EPIC. To take action, see this listing of opt-out resources.