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Privacy in calling records proposed, add your support

The Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission have called on Congress to make the sale of telephone records illegal.
Written by Mitch Ratcliffe, Contributor

Consumer phone records are for sale, but recently the sale of cell phone call records has captured public attention. Amazingly, one has to opt-out of programs that make who they call and receive calls from available to private investigators and Web sites that sell the information for as little as $100.

Now, the normally regulations-averseGet active for your privacy. Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission have called on Congress to make these programs illegal. Most of the call records are gathered through deceitful practices, according to FCC Chairman Kevin Marin, but the agencies say the law must be amended to protect the public.

"I believe that Congress could specifically make illegal the commercial availability of consumers' phone records," Martin told the House Energy and Commerce Committee today, according to InternetNews.com. "If any entity is found to be selling this information for a fee, regardless of how it obtained such information, it would face liability." 

A group of legislators, led by Representatives Joe Barton (R - Texas) and Jan Schakowsky (D - Illinois) are taking action at carriers to force them to improve call record security. Representatives Jay Inslee (D - Washington) and Marsha Blackburn (R - Tennessee) have introduced legislation to penalize data brokers that deal in personal call data. In the Senate, Charles Schumer (D - N.Y.), Arlen Spector (R - Pennsylvania) and Bill Nelson (D - Florida) have introduced a similar bill.

Press coverage characterizes the legislative cooperation on this issue as "rare bipartisanship." It's pretty clear that everyone finds these practices abhorrent, regardless of party affiliation.

You need to back this legislation, read the bills for yourself and ask for improvements if you think the bills need changes. Get active for your privacy.

Here's where you can find your own legislator's contact information and to track the bills (which are not in the database at this writing). 

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