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Tag: Telcos

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Telecoms Single Market may — or may not — bring real Net Neutrality to Europe

22 Oct 2015

Earlier this year, the three major European institutions reached an agreement in the Telecoms Single Market trialogue, where lawmakers made several ambitious promises. Among them was the promise to enshrine Net Neutrality rules concretely into EU law. The aim: to guarantee Europeans the “most comprehensive open internet rules,” and to prevent fragmenting equitable cross-border internet services that are in a single market. However, as it stands, the legislation is not yet clear enough to realize these grand ambitions.

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Telecoms Single Market may — or may not — bring real Net Neutrality to Europe
22 Oct 2015
Telecoms Single Market may — or may not — bring real Net Neutrality to Europe

Zombie cookies rise again as telcos respond to our report on tracking headers

9 Oct 2015

Even George A. Romero, visionary creator of zombie movies, would scarcely believe this script. After public outcry, policy turnarounds, and regulatory scrutiny, tracking headers live on in Verizon’s networks. The company just announced a new program combining AOL’s online advertising and tracking capabilities with Verizon’s UIDH mobile tracking headers, to track users across the fixed and mobile web. We have fought to expose the use of mobile tracking headers, and made some progress in holding companies to account. The nonprofit Business and Human Rights Resource Centre invited formal responses from the companies named in our report. Let’s go through the responses, one by one.

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Zombie cookies rise again as telcos respond to our report on tracking headers
9 Oct 2015
Zombie cookies rise again as telcos respond to our report on tracking headers
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Announcing the 2015 Heroes & Villains of Human Rights and Communications Surveillance

22 Sep 2015

Today Access recognizes the individuals and groups that have either been champions of the 13 internationally recognized principles for human rights in communications surveillance (“Heroes”), or have undermined or violated those principles (“Villains”). These principles, called the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance (or “the Principles”), have been endorsed by more than 400 civil society groups worldwide. They provide a framework for assessing whether government surveillance practices comply with international human rights obligations. Today marks the two-year anniversary of the Principles, which were publicly released on September 22, 2013.

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Announcing the 2015 Heroes & Villains of Human Rights and Communications Surveillance
22 Sep 2015
Announcing the 2015 Heroes & Villains of Human Rights and Communications Surveillance
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Vodafone should come clean about Australian journalist data breach

16 Sep 2015

Vodafone employees accessed journalist Natalie O’Brien’s call and text records in 2011, after she wrote reports about problems with the company’s Siebel security system. According to a leaked email, Vodafone managers asked employees to use “any means available” to uncover the source of O’Brien’s information. Vodafone commissioned an investigation by a top accounting firm, the results of which it refuses to release, while denying any “improper behavior.” However, after public pressure intensified this week, Vodafone reversed course and has asked federal police to investigate. We call on Vodafone to cooperate fully with investigators, release the independent report it commissioned, publicly explain what actions the company took after it became aware of the breach, and promise non-repetition. The company should strive to implement encryption, including end-to-end encryption, which would prevent employees from being able to access user data like this in the future.

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Vodafone should come clean about Australian journalist data breach
16 Sep 2015
Vodafone should come clean about Australian journalist data breach
Am I being Tracked

The Rise of Mobile Tracking Headers: How Telcos Around the World Are Threatening Your Privacy

21 Aug 2015
Publication
The Rise of Mobile Tracking Headers: How Telcos Around the World Are Threatening Your Privacy
21 Aug 2015
The Rise of Mobile Tracking Headers: How Telcos Around the World Are Threatening Your Privacy
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Access marks up the Myanmar government’s telecom “Masterplan”

12 Aug 2015

Access responds to the Myanmar government’s call for comment on its Draft Telecommunications Masterplan, a document that lays out a plan for the country’s telecommunications regime.

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Access marks up the Myanmar government’s telecom “Masterplan”
12 Aug 2015
Access marks up the Myanmar government’s telecom “Masterplan”
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Access presses telco BT to respect user privacy at shareholder meeting

14 Jul 2015

At the BT (formerly British Telecom) annual general meeting in London, Access directs the following question to company’s CEO, as well as to its board: What specific next steps will BT take this year (that is, in the next 12 months) to better protect customers’ privacy and free expression rights, and to achieve greater transparency around its actions, in every country where you operate?

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Access presses telco BT to respect user privacy at shareholder meeting
14 Jul 2015
Access presses telco BT to respect user privacy at shareholder meeting
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In good news from the evil mobile sandbox, Verizon allows opt-out of zombie tracking

6 Apr 2015

Last week, Verizon Wireless announced that it would allow its users to opt-out of its zombie cookie tracking program, which it calls Relevant Mobile Advertising. Users can now log in to their account and click through a few links to force the company to stop tracking their web traffic. This is a major victory for privacy and follows an earlier pledge by AT&T in November to stop the tracking.

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In good news from the evil mobile sandbox, Verizon allows opt-out of zombie tracking
6 Apr 2015
In good news from the evil mobile sandbox, Verizon allows opt-out of zombie tracking
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Net Neutrality rules ban fast and slow lanes, but leave zero rating in place

13 Mar 2015

Today the U.S. Federal Communications Commission released its rules to implement its landmark Open Internet Order.

Press Release
Net Neutrality rules ban fast and slow lanes, but leave zero rating in place
13 Mar 2015
Net Neutrality rules ban fast and slow lanes, but leave zero rating in place
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U.S. eases sanctions on tech exports to Sudan

19 Feb 2015

This week the U.S. government issued a General License to provide users with easier access to the internet and a wide range of software, hardware, and services “incident to personal communications” in Sudan. Access applauds the move, which follows years of advocacy by our organization alongside civil society partners in the U.S. and Sudan.

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U.S. eases sanctions on tech exports to Sudan
19 Feb 2015
U.S. eases sanctions on tech exports to Sudan