FCC Federal Communications Commission Phone Record Privacy
EPIC, Coalition Urge FCC to End Call Record Data Retention
EPIC and a coalition of leading consumer rights, human rights, and civil liberties organizations, along with members of the EPIC Advisory Board, have petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to end the FCC's rule requiring mass retention of phone records. Currently, the FCC requires phone companies to retain sensitive information on all customers, including name, address, telephone number, telephone number dialed, date, time, and length of the call for 18 months. The petition states that the FCC's mandate "violates the fundamental right to privacy, exposes consumers to data breaches, stifles innovation, and reduces competition. It is outdated and ineffective. It should end."