Verizon’s ‘Controversial And Unsavory’ Record
Verizon’s ‘Controversial And Unsavory’ Record
Today, the New York Times reported that the telecommunications giant Verizon had refused to allow Naral Pro-Choice America to use its services for a text-message program, claiming “it had a right to block ‘controversial or unsavory‘ text.”
Shortly after the Times reported the story on its front page today, Verizon quickly issued a statement retracting its decision, and said the company had “determined [the decision] was an incorrect interpretation of a dusty internal policy.”
Verizon shouldn’t stop there. It has plenty of “dusty internal policies” that need some brushing up:
Verizon provided customer information for NSA warrantless wiretaps. A $20 billion lawsuit was brought against Verizon in 2006 alleging that the company provided customer information to the government for use in the NSA’s warentless wiretapping program. Verizon’s initial legal defense was to claim that providing accurate information to the government was covered by the first amendment.
Verizon vehemently opposed net-neutrality legislation, which “would prevent telecom operators and broadband providers from creating a two-lane system that would establish a pay-for-play tier system of premium services.” Steven E. Zipperstein, General Counsel for Verizon Wireless, told a House committee in July, “We believe the quest for open access or, as some refer to it — network neutrality — is a solution in search of a problem that simply does not exist.”
Verizon tried to stop the city of Philadelphia from proving low-cost, Wi-Fi internet access in poor, inner city neighborhoods. They lobbied the Pennsylvania legislature to successfully pass a law that would “prohibit a government or any entity it creates from offering broadband for a fee.”
Recently, National Intelligence Mike McConnell confirmed Verizon’s involvement in the NSA’s warrantless wiretapping program and said that the lawsuits against Verizon and other telecommunications companies should be dropped.
Newsweek reported that Verizon is “working closely with the White House” to carry out “a secretive lobbying campaign” to get Congress to dismiss the lawsuits against the company. Before proceeding with a blanket immunity bill, Congress may want to take a closer look to determine whether Verizon’s “dusty” record merits rewarding them with the public’s trust.
UPDATE: The AFL-CIO blog notes that the National Labor Relations Board has charged Verizon Business with “interfering with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of the rights” to join a union that are supposedly protected by federal labor law.
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Verizon:
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Verizon Wireless:
September 27th, 2007 at 12:48 pmThe NSA can hear you now
Very-zone: seems to be part of the same corporate mentality that has given us: Bush, nine-eleven, Diebold, Enron, Iraq, Blackwater, Halliburton, Social Security “reform” i.e., destruction by privatization, the busybodying of poor Terri Shivao (sic), napalming of Fallujah, et al ad nauseum…
September 27th, 2007 at 1:03 pmIvan G. Seidenberg
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon
Ivan.G.Seidenberg@verizon.com
September 27th, 2007 at 1:03 pmactually, if what i read is true — that the naral service is opt in — then the verizon spokesman deliberately mislead the nyt reporter when he threw out the bs about spam, etc. and the reporter was too clueless to follow up.
what a surprise.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:04 pmVerizon needs to get their act together or they’ll end up looking like Larry Craig: an indecisive, babbling idiot/liar, that can’t even stick to their own immoral stories like the rest of the Right does.
Props for The NYT. =D
September 27th, 2007 at 1:05 pm“Before proceeding”… “Congress may want to take a closer look to determine whether” this Administration’s ” “dusty†record merits rewarding them with the public’s trust.”
September 27th, 2007 at 1:13 pmThere, that’s better!
Another BushItCo corporate enabler.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:14 pmI was considering moving my cell service from t-Mobile to Verizon, but not now. Bastards.
Actually, much of the telecommunications surveillance falls under CALEA be it ATT, Verizon, t-mobile or whatever.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:37 pmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Assistance_for_Law_Enforcement_Act
As far as blocking text goes thats just not right, I mean, they, telecomm/ISP cant even block email spammers who consume gobs of bandwidth that falls on the recipient, you and me, to filter out.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:43 pmI live in WA state – can anyone recommend a wireless company that’s not buried it’s nose in Righty’s ass – my contract with AT&Spyonu is coming to term, and I sure as hell won’t be switching to Verizon.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:07 pmI am a a verizon customer and I had no idea they were in bed with the government. But I will soon be leaving them to join another cell phone provider. I urge all readers to do the same. It’s about time Verizon learned a lesson. I don’t pay them to spy on me. Dump Verizon and join someone who doesn’t spy on us.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:11 pmThis is exactly why those Rightwing idiots need to stop voting for Republicans. Think for yourself. What country in history spyed on it’s people? That’s right, the Soviet Union. We spent trillions of dollars to oppose the Soviet Union to end up becoming that which our soldiers fought and died for. I’ve said for years that the rightwing in this country remind me of the brownshirts who supported Hitler. They didn’t question his abuse of Jews and it led to that Country becoming supporters of genicide. We are on the brink of become a dictatorship under Rudy and the Republicans. Wake up and get your friend out to Vote Democratic.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:15 pmI received this email from a Verizon area manager a few minutes ago:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2007
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeffrey Nelson
Verizon Wireless
908.559.7519
Jeffrey.Nelson@verizonwireless.com
VERIZON WIRELESS STATEMENT ON TEXT MESSAGING
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – On Wednesday, September 26, Verizon Wireless received a letter from NARAL regarding the company’s policy on text messaging. The following statement may be attributed to Jeffrey Nelson, spokesperson for Verizon Wireless.
“The decision to not allow text messaging on an important, though sensitive, public policy issue was incorrect, and we have fixed the process that led to this isolated incident.
“Upon learning about this situation, senior Verizon Wireless executives immediately reviewed the decision and determined it was an incorrect interpretation of a dusty internal policy. That policy, developed before text messaging protections such as spam filters adequately protected customers from unwanted messages, was designed to ward against communications such as anonymous hate messaging and adult materials sent to children.
“Verizon Wireless is proud to provide services such as text messaging, which are being harnessed by organizations and individuals communicating their diverse opinions about issues and topics. We have great respect for this free flow of ideas and will continue to protect the ability to communicate broadly through our messaging service
September 27th, 2007 at 2:18 pm#8 Xisithrus:
Actually, much of the telecommunications surveillance falls under CALEA be it ATT, Verizon, t-mobile or whatever.
CALEA requires a wiretap warrant (Title III warrant) for “call content” (voice) or a pen-register/trap’n'trace court order for “call data” (who called who when). These require specific “targets” to be named in the court order. You can’t just ask for all telco records to be turned over en masse.
All carriers (and ISPs now) must comply with CALEA or be subject to penalties if they can’t comply when presented with a warrant.
Cheers,
September 27th, 2007 at 2:40 pmWell, crap. They all claim they’ve done nothing wrong or unlawful…then if that’s true, then why the hell do they need a blanket immunity?
$%%$^$^!!!
September 27th, 2007 at 2:48 pm#15 Leftside Annie:
Well, crap. They all claim they’ve done nothing wrong or unlawful…then if that’s true, then why the hell do they need a blanket immunity?
In case they did anything illegal.
Cheers,
September 27th, 2007 at 3:33 pm#11
Here here! I just sent a blasting email to the president of Verizon (thanks to #3) and I’m pulling out of my contract. I’ve been with them since my first mobile phone.
DAMN!
September 27th, 2007 at 5:45 pmNotice how the FACT companies are spying for NSA, allowing them to access their system is not being discussed in the media , it’s not even an issue because the so called ” News” media don’t care if our rights are being violated . And NOBODY should be doing business with these gangsters , NOBODY , so encourage everybody you know to drop SPYRIZON , AT&T and the rest and to blatantly refuse service to NARAL , purely to pander to the right, makes me think, WHAT else are these corporate fascist doing . WHAT ELSE ?
September 27th, 2007 at 9:22 pm