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   How to Say 'No Thanks' to Verizon's Supercookie

   Josh Centers

   Much virtual ink has been spilled discussing Verizon Wireless's
   so-called 'supercookie.' While it may sound delicious, it's actually a
   threat to your privacy, and Verizon customers can finally opt out of
   it.

   You're probably familiar with standard Web cookies, which are small
   pieces of data stored by your browser to retain information. Cookies
   are mostly used to make Web sites work better, such as keeping you
   logged in to a Web site across launches or maintaining the contents of
   an online cart as you shop. However, cookies can also can be used for
   less constructive purposes, such as tracking your online activity in
   order to serve you targeted ads. You may not like everything cookies
   are used for, but they're hard to live without. Most Web browsers help
   you block 'third-party cookies' (such as those used by ad networks),
   and browser plug-ins such as [1]Disconnect can block even more unwanted
   cookies while allowing useful ones.

   So what makes Verizon's supercookie different? It's created not by a
   Web site you visit, but by Verizon itself. It takes the form of a
   unique identifying number inserted into all of your HTTP requests to
   load Web sites, called a Unique Identifier Header (UIDH). Verizon
   Wireless began setting these supercookies in 2012, and it sells the
   resulting data to advertisers, who use it to better target advertising
   to you. It would be like your phone company listening in on your phone
   calls and interrupting every so often with special offers.

   Supercookies are worse than regular cookies for a few reasons:
    1. They offer no benefit apart from possibly more targeted ads.
    2. They are inserted by Verizon, who you're already paying for
       service.
    3. Supercookies can't be deleted, or avoided with browser privacy
       modes.
    4. Because of the way Verizon inserts the UIDH, third parties can
       intercept it and use it to [2]track your online activity.

   Thanks in part to [3]pressure from the U.S. Senate, Verizon is now
   allowing customers to opt-out of supercookies.

   Here's how:
    1. Log into your [4]Verizon Wireless account.
    2. If you're not taken there automatically, click My Verizon.
    3. Click Manage Privacy Settings in the left-hand sidebar.
    4. Under Relevant Mobile Advertising, find the column that says, 'No,
       I don't want to participate in Relevant Mobile Advertising,' and
       select each phone line under that column, or click Select All.
    5. Click Save Changes.
       [5][tn_Verizon-Relevant-Mobile-Advertising.jpg]

   If you see nothing under Relevant Mobile Advertising, your ad-blocker
   may be preventing you from seeing those settings. Either disable it, or
   disable it for that specific page, and reload.

   While you're reviewing your privacy settings, you may also wish to opt
   out of Verizon Wireless sharing your Customer Proprietary Network
   Information Settings and using your mobile usage information for
   Business & Marketing Reports.

   How can you be sure that opting-out worked? Pick up your mobile device,
   disable Wi-Fi, and head over to [6]amibeingtracked.com via cellular
   Internet. Click Test Now, and the site will tell you if Verizon is
   tracking your Web browsing.

   [7]Image

   Should you be concerned if you use a different cellular carrier? In the
   United States at least, probably not. AT&T had been testing
   supercookies, but announced last year that [8]it would phase them out;
   our tests have confirmed that. Other major carriers, such as Sprint and
   T-Mobile, have not been known to use supercookies. And given the bad
   publicity that they've garnered for Verizon Wireless, I wouldn't be
   surprised to see them tossed in the compost soon.

References

   1. https://disconnect.me/
   2. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150115/07074929705/remember-that-undeletable-super-cookie-verizon-claimed-wouldnt-be-abused-yeah-well-funny-story.shtml
   3. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/02/under-senate-pressure-verizon-improves-its-supercookie-opt-out
   4. http://www.verizonwireless.com/
   5. http://tidbits.com/resources/2015-04/Verizon-Relevant-Mobile-Advertising.png
   6. http://amibeingtracked.com/
   7. http://tidbits.com/resources/2015-04/not-being-tracked.png
   8. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2472230,00.asp

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