What if AT&T 0wn3d you?

Here’s a creative mix of Star Wars and Telecom marketing, although the comparison is a bit harsh:

Deathstar
Worried about hackers getting your data? Consumers are being asked by a company to agree that “all your data are belong to us” before they will give you any service. Those who already have service…well, that’s not so clear yet.

SFGate has the scoop:

The new policy says that AT&T — not customers — owns customers’ confidential info and can use it “to protect its legitimate business interests, safeguard others, or respond to legal process.”

The policy also indicates that AT&T will track the viewing habits of customers of its new video service — something that cable and satellite providers are prohibited from doing.

Moreover, AT&T (formerly known as SBC) is requiring customers to agree to its updated privacy policy as a condition for service — a new move that legal experts say will reduce customers’ recourse for any future data sharing with government authorities or others.

And now for the two edges of the sword…

AT&T said in a statement last month that it “has a long history of vigorously protecting customer privacy” and that “our customers expect, deserve and receive nothing less than our fullest commitment to their privacy.”

But the company also asserted that it has “an obligation to assist law enforcement and other government agencies responsible for protecting the public welfare, whether it be an individual or the security interests of the entire nation.”

So this reminds me of the old Lincoln-Douglas debate topic “Should the public’s right to know outweigh national security interests?” except that no-one even close to the oratory power of Lincoln or Douglas seems to be speaking about the topic. So far I’ve only heard lawyers from AT&T say “don’t worry, this is just a minor clarification”; not exactly a heart-warming defense.

Can you imagine if the rulers of a country had to agree that the public has full and unfettered ownership of their confidential data, even when in power, before they were allowed to take office? Just curious how far the logic might extend…

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