Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission, has asked the top executives at 15 mobile carriers to provide the agency information on how their businesses retain and handle sensitive consumer data.
Rosenworcel sent out letters of inquiry asking the vendors to list their procedures for sharing subscriber-related geographic information with authorities and third parties outside the law enforcement community, the FCC said Tuesday.
She also called on the companies to explain how subscribers are notified when their geolocation data is shared with external parties.
“Given the highly sensitive nature of this data—especially when location data is combined with other types of data, the ways in which this data is stored and shared with third parties is of utmost importance to consumer safety and privacy,” the chairwoman wrote in her letter.
The mobile carriers that received the request for information on data retention and privacy guidelines from the FCC are as follows:
- AT&T
- Best Buy Health
- Charter Communications
- Comcast
- Consumer Cellular
- C-Spire
- DISH Network
- H2O Wireless
- Lycamobile
- Mint Mobile
- Red Pocket
- T-Mobile
- U.S. Cellular
- Verizon
The agency told the companies to submit responses by Aug. 3.