I am looking for the part of my Verizon contract that says the telephone company can give my call records to the National Security Agency.
A newspaper report that three phone companies, including Verizon, have voluntarily turned over tens of millions of Americans’ phone records to the NSA has touched off a national furor. Still, I am not having much luck in learning about my fate.
“We don’t have that information,” says the first Verizon customer service representative I reach. She also has no information about where I can get a copy of the contract I signed to get my Verizon cellphone service.
I Google Verizon and find a number for David Fish, the executive director of media relations. His secretary answers the phone and puts me on hold. When Fish picks up, I ask him if it says in my contract that his company can give my records to the NSA.
This is Verizon Communications, Fish tells me. You want Verizon Wireless.
Fish gives me the number of Jeffrey Nelson. Nelson works media relations for Verizon Wireless, I am told.
I dial Nelson. He doesn’t answer. I leave a message on his phone.
A little while later, Bob Kelley returns my call. Kelley is a pleasant man who handles media matters for Verizon Wireless in Colorado. He says Jeffrey Nelson asked him to call.
I tell him I want to see my contract to find out if it says Verizon can give my phone records to the NSA.
That story had to do with land lines, not cellphones, Kelley says of the USA Today report that has caused such a stir. It deals with Verizon Communications.
I just talked to the guy from Verizon Communications, I tell Kelley. He told me to call wireless. Does that mean that Verizon has not given my cellphone records to the NSA?
I can’t comment on matters of national security, Kelley says. Anything having to do with the NSA is highly confidential.
How do I know if Verizon gives my cellphone records to the NSA, I persist.
We follow the laws of privacy in protecting our customers, Kelley says.
How ’bout giving me a copy of my contract so I can see what it says? I ask.
I’ll call customer service and have them do it, Kelley promises.
Like a dog chasing its tail, I have run around and around to arrive where I started. The cynical part of me wonders if this isn’t exactly the place the spooks of the NSA want every American.
Without warrants or court approval, the spooks gather phone records that can track our deepest secrets, though they have nothing to do with national security. I have a friend who is an investigative reporter. He has identified extramarital affairs and other personal dirty laundry by following the numbers called by public officials.
On the Verizon Wireless website, I finally find a section titled “Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information.”
“An example of when we would disclose personally identifiable information to an outside person or entity is when we are served with a subpoena. … Another example would be if we share … with law enforcement to prevent and investigate fraud and other unlawful use of communications services.”
At last, I have my answer: I live in an Orwellian nightmare.
Despite a bunch of hooey about how much Verizon values my privacy and will share my personal information only with my consent, the company can give me up without me knowing to any law enforcement agency alleging a crime. And it never has to tell me.
I go to the “news center” on the Verizon Wireless website to see if it explains this critical information in light of recent revelations. It doesn’t. Instead, I find a news release that begins:
“With the season finale of ’24’ right around the corner, Verizon Wireless Get It Now (registered trademark) customers won’t have to wait until next season to be part of the non-stop adventures of Counter Terrorist Unit.”
As if that isn’t enough to creep me out, the release runs under a headline about “Spy Phones.”
Jim Spencer’s column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 303-820-1771 or jspencer@denverpost.com.
