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Facebook is changing the way it stores call and text history
Facebook published a blog post today detailing the changes it has made to how it manages users' data. You can read a broader summary of that report here, but among the new changes is a tweak to how Facebook collects and stores call and text history. For those using Messenger or Facebook Lite on Android, an opt-in feature compiles users' call and text history, which the company says is used to help it surface the contacts you talk to most frequently. In its blog post today, Facebook said that it has reviewed the feature and can confirm that it doesn't actually collect the content of any messages. Additionally, going forward, it will delete logs older than a year and only the data required for the feature's functionality will be collected, meaning no extra data, such as call times, will be stored.
Blu smartphones secretly harvested texts and contacts
Blu Products, the leading seller of unlocked smartphones in the US, has revealed a serious security problem with a bunch of its products. It says a third-party app called "Wireless Update" has been "collecting unauthorized personal data in the form of text messages, call logs and contacts from customers" on some devices. While the app has been "self-updated" and is no longer siphoning data, Blu advises users to check their phones and call customer service if an older version of the app is still installed.
WSJ: T-Mobile, VZW don't directly share call data to NSA, but that might not matter
Providing another wrinkle to the recently exploding privacy debate, a Wall Street Journal report indicates which wireless companies are providing call information to the government. According to the infamous people familiar with the matter, foreign ownership of Verizon and T-Mobile presents several obstacles including them in the program. Chief among them is that the requests are top secret and might prohibit some of the owners from being aware. Meanwhile, Sprint and AT&T are said to have "long cooperated with the government," although it may not really matter which provider you're using when it comes to popping up in NSA-requested files. Last week's leaked court order requested call logs and metadata from Verizon Business Network Services, which, along with AT&T provides the backbone most calls go through. No matter which carrier you're on, if your call is routed along that backbone, the information about it is recorded and could be passed along.
Leaked court documents reveal NSA is collecting bulk call logs from Verizon
A court document published today by The Guardian reveals the NSA is currently collecting call records in bulk from Verizon. The request, granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court on April 25th, extends until July 19th and mandates Verizon produce all call detail records on a daily basis to the NSA. The data collected includes the numbers of both parties to a call, how long it lasted, location data, IMEI / IMSI numbers, but not the content of the call or identifying information about the customer. As the report indicates, security officials had revealed bulk collection of call records previously, but until now there has been no indication of it happening under the Obama administration. In 2006 Verizon Wireless was one of the few to state it had not turned over call records to the NSA, but that appears to have changed. Among the many things that are still unknown however, is whether this order is a one time event or one in a series of such requests collecting vast amounts of data on unsuspecting citizens, and whether other communications providers have received orders to do the same.[Image credit: Frédéric Bisson, Flickr]
