CNNMoney’s Jonathan Schienberg is reporting that AT&T has made a change to their privacy policy. A phrase saying AT&T “does not access, read, upload or store data contained in or derived from private files without the members’ authorization” was removed. Also in the revision, AT&T claimed that it has the obligation to cooperate with government agencies for the “security interests of the entire nation.” The National Security Administration, which AT&T cooperated with by allowing wiretapping to occur, must be especially pleased.
We have a long history of vigorously protecting customer and web visitor privacy. Our customers and web visitors expect, deserve and receive nothing less than our fullest commitment to their privacy. We also have 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. If and when we are asked to help, we do so strictly within the law and under the most stringent conditions.
I will say that AT&T’s public relations machine is using the excuse of their year-old merger with SBC as the reason for the “update” to the privacy policy, but the privacy policy was actually updated June 16 of this year.
AT&T spokesperson Tiffany Nels came off sounding defensive talking to Schienberg, spewing out a corporate line about “streamlining” which this reporter is simply not buying, and I don’t think she convinced Schienberg. She told him that removing the key privacy phrase made the policy easier to read. In reality, it merely makes the policy easier to circumvent.
Not great PR. Not great at all.