AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile admit to using Carrier IQ; Apple says it doesn't anymore + my comments

http://j.mp/rPycF6 (This message on Google+)

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http://j.mp/vVRV3J (Fierce Mobile)

"The controversy over Carrier IQ illegally tracking cell phone users' activities continues. AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T), Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and T-Mobile USA have come forward, admitting to using Carrier IQ software, albeit allegedly only to improve their network performance. On the other end of the spectrum, Apple said it stopped using Carrier IQ's platform in the latest version of its operating system, iOS 5."

As I noted originally, it seems unwise to "pile on" in this situation, given that the facts are not entirely clear. In particular, it apparently has not yet been demonstrated that CIQ is actually *transmitting* specific user data that would be trigger wiretap laws, irrespective of ephemeral data collection on the device to gather service and use statistics that are being sent. My gut feeling is that in this case there may be parties opportunistically attacking ahead of the facts, and that it is quite possible that the failures in this situation are mainly ones of transparency, disclosure, and user control, rather than the much more serious issues of "wiretapping" per se. We shall see. ------------------------------