Verizon Settles FCC Consumer Privacy Investigation

On September 3, 2014, the FCC announced it reached a settlement with Verizon for $7.4 million.

The settlement ending an investigating into Verizon’s alleged misuse of customer information. The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau was investigating Verizon’s alleged failure to notify approximately two million new customers of their privacy rights.  Specifically, Verizon allegedly failed to provide to  new customers instructions for how to opt-out from alleged Verizon’s use of their personal information for marketing purposes.  As part of the settlement, Verizon must inform all new customers of their opt-out rights on every bill for three years.

The $7.4 million settlement is the largest in FCC history for a settlement of an investigation related solely to the privacy of telephone customers’ personal information.

For more information see Press Release, Federal Communications Commission, Verizon to Pay $7.4 million to Settle Consumer Privacy Investigation (Sept. 3, 2014), available at http://www.fcc.gov/document/verizon-pay-74m-settle-privacy-investigation-0

Andre Barlow
(202) 589-1838
abarlow@dbmlawgroup.com