Verizon Wants Customers To Hand Over Their Usage Data To Advertisers In Return For A Coupon

If you’re a Verizon customer, you’ll want to be on the lookout for an email or text message from asking if you’d be willing to share your data usage (location, web browsing and mobile application usage data) in return for coupons or “rewards.” This sort of data farming for advertisers is nothing new in today’s world, but always a bit unsettling.

Verizon is calling this new project “Verizon Selects” and surprisingly enough, will only implement it if a customer has voluntarily opted in.

I’m extremely skeptical that any customer would be willing to voluntarily hand over such information in return for some measly coupons and/or annoying marketing notifications, but hey, at least Verizon is asking instead of simply forcing it on us (chances are they’re being forced to ask).

Of course if you opt-in, you’ll start receiving targeted advertisements which Verizon says can come in the form of email, text, postal mail or online or mobile advertising.

I’ll have to say “no thanks” to this one Verizon, but thanks for asking.