According to electronista, Verizon plans to soon put a removable sticker on the display of new handsets that warns the user the device may be used to track their location. All four carriers acknowledged that they store location data for varying periods of time, but Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500) was the only company to suggest a warning label.
The sticker warns: “This device is capable of determining its (and your) physical, geographical location and can associate this location data with other customer information. To limit access to location information by others, refer to the User Guide for Location settings and be cautious when downloading, accessing or using applications and services.”
Carriers still typically carry information for longer, and at Verizon have records going up to seven years.
Apple and Google are due to appear at a hearing May 10 that would ask them to explain their roles in the situation. The circumstances could draw carriers in if they can persuade Congress that they aren’t as effective at tracking data as the cellular providers they have to use.
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