https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/d3mgkv/senator-wyden-hammers-t-mobile-for-empty-promises-on-sale-of-cell-phone-location-data

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has expressed “disappointment” and “disbelief” at T-Mobile’s failed promise to end the collection and sale of user location data to dubious intermediaries. Wyden on Thursday also began to apply some additional pressure on other wireless carriers he claims have been negligent and secretive when it comes to treatment of this data. T-Mobile’s failed promises were unearthed when a recent Motherboard investigation showcased how such data is routinely abused by a wide variety of sketchy third parties. The scale of the problem has been percussively highlighted by a series of scandals showcasing how this data is routinely being abused by everyone from law enforcement to bail bondsmen. In a letter sent to T-Mobile CEO John Legere (embedded below), Wyden notes that T-Mobile CEO John Legere promised last June to end the sale of such data to “shady middlemen,” yet clearly failed to live up to his promise.

“I write you today to express my disappointment and disbelief regarding T-Mobile’s continued partnership with companies that have enabled spying on Americans without their knowledge and consent,” the Senator said. “Your company’s continued sale of customer location data to these so-called ‘location aggregators’ is in direct contradiction to your ‘personal evaluation’ of the issue six months ago.”