AT&T Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corp. defend the use of Carrier IQ User Tracking software

[denem]

Source: Bloomberg

AT&T Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corp. defended the use of Carrier IQ software in a usage tracking application on mobile phones including Apple Inc. iPhones and HTC Corp. devices that has raised privacy concerns.

The Carrier IQ software is a so-called rootkit installed at the carriers’ request on mobile phones. The application runs in the background and logs user activity. AT&T and Sprint, the second- and third-largest U.S. wireless providers, said in e- mailed statements that the software data is used to improve service performance.

The software created by Mountain View, California-based Carrier IQ Inc. is at the center of a growing controversy over how mobile phone user data is collected and the extent to which privacy may be jeopardized...

“Carrier IQ is required on devices by a number of U.S carriers,” Taoyuan, Taiwan-based HTC said in an e-mailed statement. The company is “investigating the option to allow consumers to opt out of data collection” by the application.

Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-12-02/at-t-sprint-defend-use-of-carrier-iq-user-tracking-software.html

[bloomington-lib]

1. They have to spy on me to improve service performance?

Maybe grocery stores can start setting up cameras in my kitchen to improve service by watching what I eat.

[AtheistCrusader]

2. Speaking of grocery stores..

My cell phone finally works inside my local grocery store. So I can actually call my wife if I need a reminder or a choice settled.

I suspect this app drives this sort of 'we need more coverage, or repeaters HERE' decisions.


Where they fucked up:

1. Didn't tell the consumer, so it looks suspicious.
2. Still aren't telling us EXACTLY what it records, so we are right to assume the worst.
3. Gave us no option to disable it, and from that statement, they are only grudgingly considering it now, so the rights/desires of the consumer are clearly taking a back seat to their policy/desires.

[amyrose2712]

5. If you use a preferred member card for discounts, they already know.

No camera required.

[ThomThom]

7. and the strange part is the stores don't have much to do with what

goes on the shelves for sale
they have to take what the distributor wants to sell

[LiberalArkie]

3. On the iPhone it is default turned off by Apple.

You can make sure by going to settings - General - About - Diagnostics & Usage. You can even look at the data that would be sent it you enable it.

It is handy for developers and and when the iPhone comes out with new software as it will send to software fault and failure info to Apple for them to diagnose.

That is how they found out what was wrong with the IOS 5 software andy the iPhone 4S...

[leftyohiolib]

4. so not only are cell phones users being ripped off theyre being spied on

i'm glad i dont own one

[DaveJ]

6. All major retailers seem to have "control issues"

This research is used to channel our purchasing behavior. It is no longer simply a matter of supplying what we want. They use this information to tell us what we want, as long as it will also maximize their profits.

[geardaddy]

8. Al Franken is taking them to task.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/01/al-franken-carrier-iq_n_1123942.html

[Trillo]

9. Pay every month for your spy device!

When are they gonna start paying users, the data source, to use these devices?

[sarcasmo]

10. The surveillance grid is out of control.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

11. a little beside the point, but Android users can check to see if this is installed

Download an app called Voodoo Carrier IQ Detector from the Marketplace (free). I cannot vouch for the app, but people seem to think it's dependable. It tells me that my Motorola Atrix 4G does not have this rootkit installed.

[Dead_Parrot]

12. They can go pound sand

Not a user, but I've been following the IQ debacle over at theregister.co.uk, a UK tech site - the amount of data it snorts up is horrifying, and whatever morons at the networks brought into this should be taken outside, put up against a wall, and given a severe talking to.

Not that they will, of course.