Maine orders investigation of Verizon

[D. Kirkpatrick]

From an ACLU e-posting



MAINE UTILITY COMMISSION ORDERS INVESTIGATION OF VERIZON'S ALLEGED
ABUSE OF CUSTOMER PRIVACY TO CONTINUE

The rule of law and the right to privacy won a victory last week as
the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) released an order that
will allow its investigation into Verizon's alleged abuses of
customer privacy to continue. The order requires that, as a condition
of the sale of Verizon assets to FairPoint Communications, the PUC
retain jurisdiction over the telecomm giant even after the transaction
with FairPoint has been completed.

Verizon had previously asserted that the sale to FairPoint would put
an end to all legal proceedings concerning Verizon privacy violations
pending in Maine. The victory means that Verizon cannot sell its way
out of scrutiny from the PUC and the citizens of Maine it represents.

"Sale of its assets should not mean Verizon is off the hook for
violating the privacy rights of its customers," said Shenna
Bellows, Executive Director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union.
"Mainers need to know that their private telephone conversations
will be free from surveillance by the government or the phone
company."

The order also benefits the privacy rights of Mainers by requiring
FairPoint to adopt stronger privacy policies before it can acquire
assets from Verizon. In addition to creating a formal privacy policy
prior to the sale, the PUC requires FairPoint to agree to an annual
review of its privacy practices.

In May 2006, Maine privacy activists initiated a customer complaint
urging the PUC to investigate whether Verizon handed over customer
records to the National Security Agency (NSA) or gave the NSA access
to their phone equipment.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=YCPpi1BT4gaJavjsNdlimg..

[Patrick Phillips]

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:33:24 GMT

Post by D. Kirkpatrick
In May 2006, Maine privacy activists initiated a customer complaint
urging the PUC to investigate whether Verizon handed over customer
records to the National Security Agency (NSA) or gave the NSA access
to their phone equipment.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=YCPpi1BT4gaJavjsNdlimg..

This will all be mute if Congress rules the Telco's have immunity and
retroactively back a few years or to 911.

I see Vonage is accusing VZ of calling their new VOIP customers when
Vonage puts in a order for installation of VOIP equipment at VZ local
offices,
I guess VZ is calling the Vonage new customers and offering them VZ
VOIP services :-) which is illegal to do...But somehow even if VZ is
caught red handed doing this I get the feeling nothing much becomes of
it with VZ attorneys spinning it, and VZ lobbyists pull and $$ going to
Washington.

[- Bob -]

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:31:53 GMT, Patrick Phillips

Post by Patrick Phillips
On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:33:24 GMT

Post by D. Kirkpatrick
In May 2006, Maine privacy activists initiated a customer complaint
urging the PUC to investigate whether Verizon handed over customer
records to the National Security Agency (NSA) or gave the NSA access
to their phone equipment.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=YCPpi1BT4gaJavjsNdlimg..

This will all be mute if Congress rules the Telco's have immunity and
retroactively back a few years or to 911.

Go Bush. What a dickhead. I wonder if he's ever actually read the
Constitution. Probably wouldn't matter, since he obviously lacks the
capacity to understand it.

Post by Patrick Phillips
I see Vonage is accusing VZ of calling their new VOIP customers when
Vonage puts in a order for installation of VOIP equipment at VZ local
offices,
I guess VZ is calling the Vonage new customers and offering them VZ
VOIP services :-) which is illegal to do...

It's legal for a business to call their customers. I don't expect
there's a law that says they can't do it on a Vonage request trigger.

Post by Patrick Phillips
But somehow even if VZ is
caught red handed doing this I get the feeling nothing much becomes of
it with VZ attorneys spinning it, and VZ lobbyists pull and $$ going to
Washington.

You damn liberals with your damn business regulation. It's a wonder a
company can make any money at all :-)

[Paul]

Post by - Bob -
Go Bush. What a dickhead. I wonder if he's ever actually read the
Constitution. Probably wouldn't matter, since he obviously lacks the
capacity to understand it.

Your 100% correct on this one.... GW never read it and does not have the
capacity to understand it. :)

[None]

Post by Paul

Post by - Bob -
Go Bush. What a dickhead. I wonder if he's ever actually read the
Constitution. Probably wouldn't matter, since he obviously lacks the
capacity to understand it.

Your 100% correct on this one.... GW never read it and does not have the
capacity to understand it. :)

Certainly knew enough to get elected two terms as the most powerful
man on the planet....

[MAYNARD TOTTEN]

you only need to have powerful friends,not know anything.

Post by None

Post by Paul

Post by - Bob -
Go Bush. What a dickhead. I wonder if he's ever actually read the
Constitution. Probably wouldn't matter, since he obviously lacks the
capacity to understand it.

Your 100% correct on this one.... GW never read it and does not have the
capacity to understand it. :)

Certainly knew enough to get elected two terms as the most powerful
man on the planet....

[- Bob -]

Post by None
Certainly knew enough to get elected two terms as the most powerful
man on the planet....

Gawdamn, ever seen him at a press conference? Those Curious George
looks are not faked. He really doesn't have a clue. Did you catch the
one where he was asked about $4/gallon gas? Hilarious. He has no clue
at all and couldn't think his way out of a box if the flaps were tied
open.

But, you don't understand the power structure very well. Bush was the
perfect puppet for the neo-cons who run the Republican Party and have
for many years now. He's been their lackey for his entire Presidency.
He's only there so that they can further fill their pockets with both
government money and through lazzaz faire economic and regulatory
policies. The people running the party these days are very clever,
very rich, and very powerful. They knew what they needed in there and
they made it happen.

Why do you think Cheney was made VP? He had nothing to do with
electability - anyone who liked Cheney was already voting Republican
no matter what. Not to mention, Cheney _cost_ a lot of independent
votes. Cheney is there because he's a core neo-con and they wanted
their man right behind the puppet on a daily basis.

The Democrats are too ignorant and clueless to win an election - or
Bush would have lost the last two times. They have continued to let
the party extreme choose ideological candidates. First, they chose
Gore - a Liberal's Liberal - and managed to lose an election coming
off a very popular President with a screaming economy and a freakin
balanced budget. Last round they chose Kerry - a Northern Liberal's
Liberal (Oh, yeah, there's a country wide winner). The only reason
they did as well as the did in the first election was Clinton's
popularity. But, they had the wrong (lame, liberal) candidate. In the
second election, Bush's popularity was so low that it was almost
impossible for the Dems to lose - but they were the definition of
snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Or, if you prefer to look
at it from the other side: the Republicans only won because the Dems
ran a pre-defined loser.

Incredibly, even after those moronic, gotta-lose campaigns, the
Democrats have come back again with vigorous stupidity. Who could
possibly be a worse candidate than the Northern Liberal? How about a
woman with a pile of baggage bigger than the missing luggage bin at
Logan Airport, and a black guy. I've got no prejudice against either,
but they are both losers in this country at this time. Once again, if
they win (and it's a very big if), it will be because the public
despises Bush - whose popularity is now at 28%, a new low and a new
record for a President.

My .02... but worth a lot because I'm getting my own show on FOX News
next week - the balanced network!

[Gordon]

Post by Patrick Phillips
This will all be mute if Congress rules the Telco's have immunity and
retroactively back a few years or to 911.

That's "moot"

[Patrick Phillips]

Post by Gordon
That's "moot"

OK Thank's :-)

[JORGE NEGRON]

Post by D. Kirkpatrick
From an ACLU e-posting
MAINE UTILITY COMMISSION ORDERS INVESTIGATION OF VERIZON'S ALLEGED
ABUSE OF CUSTOMER PRIVACY TO CONTINUE
The rule of law and the right to privacy won a victory last week as
the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) released an order that
will allow its investigation into Verizon's alleged abuses of
customer privacy to continue. The order requires that, as a condition
of the sale of Verizon assets to FairPoint Communications, the PUC
retain jurisdiction over the telecomm giant even after the transaction
with FairPoint has been completed.
Verizon had previously asserted that the sale to FairPoint would put
an end to all legal proceedings concerning Verizon privacy violations
pending in Maine. The victory means that Verizon cannot sell its way
out of scrutiny from the PUC and the citizens of Maine it represents.
"Sale of its assets should not mean Verizon is off the hook for
violating the privacy rights of its customers," said Shenna
Bellows, Executive Director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union.
"Mainers need to know that their private telephone conversations
will be free from surveillance by the government or the phone
company."
The order also benefits the privacy rights of Mainers by requiring
FairPoint to adopt stronger privacy policies before it can acquire
assets from Verizon. In addition to creating a formal privacy policy
prior to the sale, the PUC requires FairPoint to agree to an annual
review of its privacy practices.
In May 2006, Maine privacy activists initiated a customer complaint
urging the PUC to investigate whether Verizon handed over customer
records to the National Security Agency (NSA) or gave the NSA access
to their phone equipment.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=YCPpi1BT4gaJavjsNdlimg..