T-Mobile users have "another reason to switch" after new privacy nightmare
T-Mobile has silently added a new section to their privacy settings that opts users into "Profiling and automated decisions."
First spotted by Reddit user Ok-Stranger2302, this new toggle in the Privacy Center might be connected to T-Mobile's new predictive models, per The Mobile Report.
I checked T-mobile privacy settings today and saw I was opted into “ Profiling and automated decisions.” I previously already opted myself out of all sorts of data collection but had no idea T-mobile added this whole new category of dystopian surveillance.
Enabled by default, the toggle gives T-Mobile free reins to profile users based on data they have provided to the company to predict how they might behave in the future. And, perhaps not by coincidence, T-Mobile's data scientists also have new predictive models ready that will use customer data to predict how a customer might behave when they call customer support. For instance, a customer who already has a mobile internet line might want to sign up for a home internet line.
As if we needed another reason to switch carriers. Looks like T-mobile is giving the government a run for their money in terms of invasion of privacy. Not even surprised anymore, just disappointed." - gruesomeryoupons81
Additionally, T-Mobile is also planning to use artificial intelligence to predict why a customer might be visiting a physical location. The way it will apparently work is that the T-Mobile app will be used to detect a customer account when they visit a store and then AI will guess the purpose of their visit.
All of this is sounding like a privacy nightmare and customers are already expressing their concerns about the "Profiling and automated decisions" toggle, so you can only imagine the uproar the use of the new AI models will cause once more people get to know about it.
If you don't want to be profiled by T-Mobile, sign in to your account. If you are on your computer, go to "Edit profile settings". App users should tap "MORE" and then 'Profile setting." After that, select "Privacy and notifications" and then open "Privacy dashboard." You will then be shown the privacy opt-out options and you can opt out of as many of them as you want.
When you scroll further down, you will find the "Profiling and automated decisions" section. Disable it and if you have more lines, go back to the top, and select "Manage a different line."
While it was inevitable that T-Mobile would use AI to improve its services the way it saw fit, what's annoying is that it opted in all customers by default.
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