Telecommunications Privacy Report Card

The Consumer Federation of California Education Foundation (CFCEF) just released an in-depth study of the privacy practices of major telecommunications corporations operating in California.

Of the 18 companies evaluated, 28% received failing grades, 6% received a “D”, and the rest were evenly split between “A’s”, “B’s”, and “C’s” at 22% each.

Our survey shows that many phone companies take the low road, providing only the privacy protection required by law. Phone companies should never share consumer phone calling records without the explicit permission of the customer. However, those companies receiving grades of “A” or above demonstrate that that respecting consumer privacy is not at odds with running a profitable business.

We hope that this report makes valuable information available to California consumers, and advances public policy in support of increasing consumer control over the dissemination of private information.