T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon slapped with $200M fine — here’s what they illegally did with your data; Mashable, April 30, 2024

Matt Binder, Mashable ; T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon slapped with $200M fine — here’s what they illegally did with your data

"AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile allegedly provided location data to third parties without their users' consent, which is illegal.

“Our communications providers have access to some of the most sensitive information about us," said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. "These carriers failed to protect the information entrusted to them. Here, we are talking about some of the most sensitive data in their possession: customers’ real-time location information, revealing where they go and who they are.” 

FCC fines the biggest U.S. mobile carriers

According to the FCC, T-Mobile has been fined the largest amount: $80 million. Sprint, which has merged with T-Mobile since the FCC's investigation began, also received a $12 million fine.

AT&T will have to pay more than $57 million and Verizon will dole out close to $47 million."

Report: Roomba Could Sell Maps of Your Home to Tech Giants; Daily Beast, July 24, 2017

Daily Beast; Report: Roomba Could Sell Maps of Your Home to Tech Giants

"Roomba, a popular brand of robotic vacuum, can make maps of homes it cleans, Reuters reports. And Roomba’s parent company, iRobot, is reportedly considering a sale to tech giants like Amazon, Apple, or Alphabet, which could buy maps of Roomba-owning homes. The data would be used in smart home technology but could also raise privacy concerns for Roomba owners who do not want their data sold. iRobot’s CEO told Reuters that it would not sell customers’ data without their consent."