Lawmaker queries nine major wireless companies on practice of sharing mobile phone tracking data with police departments
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Prompted by concerns about the legal, constitutional and privacy implications of sharing consumers’ mobile telephone information with limited judicial oversight, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to nine major wireless carriers querying each about its policies and practices for sharing their customers’ mobile phone information with law enforcement agencies. The New York Times recently reported on an increasing number of requests from law enforcement agencies to wireless carriers seeking customer information, including data about customers’ phone usage, location of devices, tracing of phone calls and text messages, and full-scale wiretapping.
 
Rep. Markey sent letters to U.S. Cellular, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA Inc., Leap Wireless Inc./ Cricket Communications, Inc., MetroPCS, Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T, C Spire Wireless, and TracFone Wireless.
 
“Information gleaned from mobile phone use should be accessible for appropriate law enforcement purposes,” said Rep. Markey, co-Chairman of the Congressional Bi-partisan Privacy Caucus and senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. “Still, disclosure of this personal information raises important legal and privacy concerns, particularly in the absence of consumer knowledge or consent or judicial oversight. We need more information about current wireless carrier practices in this area, including how firms may be profiting from consumers’ personal data, and I look forward to the responses from the wireless carriers.”
 
A copy of the letters to each of the nine carriers can be found HERE.
 
In the letters, Rep. Markey asks the wireless carriers for responses to questions that include:
 
·         How many requests have wireless carriers received from law enforcement agencies, and what are the protocols and procedures for fulfilling or denying requests?
·         In evaluating whether to fulfill law enforcement requests, do carriers consider whether court warrants have been obtained?
·         Have the wireless carriers ever experienced instances of misuse of mobile phone tracking data by police departments?
·         Do the carriers accept payment or other forms of compensation in exchange for providing information to law enforcement, and if so, how much is charged and received?
 
 
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