A new FCC proposal could spell the end of the burner phone. Even if you don’t use one, privacy experts say you should be worried anyway
Buying a phone without giving up your identity may soon not be possible in the U.S.—and privacy advocates argue the risk extends well past anyone who’s ever bought a prepaid phone at a gas station. The Federal Communications Commission is weighing rules that would require carriers and VoIP providers to collect a customer’s name, physical address, government-issued ID number, and an alternate phone number before activating or renewing service.
Reported by 1 outlet — Fortune. See all sources ↓
Buying a phone without giving up your identity may soon not be possible in the U.S.—and privacy advocates argue the risk extends well past anyone who’s ever bought a prepaid phone at a gas station. The Federal Communications Commission is weighing rules that would require carriers and VoIP providers to collect a customer’s name, physical address, government-issued ID number, and an alternate phone number before activating or renewing service. The practical effect, critics warn, would be the end of the anonymous prepaid phone. But the bigger concern they’re raising is what happens to that data once every American’s identity is tied to a phone line: a centralized, government-mandated record that touches domestic violence survivors, journalists, whistleblowers, and anyone who simply doesn’t want their name permanently attached to their number.
Read the full report at Fortune ↗
Why it matters
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- What's the story?
- Buying a phone without giving up your identity may soon not be possible in the U.S.—and privacy advocates argue the risk extends well past anyone who’s ever bought a prepaid phone at a gas station. The Federal Communications Commission is weighing rules that would require carriers and VoIP providers to collect a customer’s name, physical address, government-issued ID number, and an alternate phone number before activating or renewing service.
- How widely is it covered?
- 1 outlet, average source rating 6.0/10.
- When was it last updated?
- 7m ago.
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- Coverage card1 outlet1CoverageScouting report
A new FCC proposal could spell the end of the burner phone. Even if you don’t use one, privacy experts say you should be worried anyway
Sources1TypeCoverageFortune