T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint Recording our Conversations???

First the news broke that Android applications were snooping on users and sending the snooped information to a third party called Carrier IQ. Now in a fit of honesty, three major phone manufacturers have admitted to using the not so honest applications in our phones.Carrier IQ is trying to deny any wrong doing over the spying.

The Phone manufacturers have also been very hush hush on how exactly they will be using the stolen information.

AT&T has confirmed using the software, but only for legitimate services and quality related purposes. Mark Siegel, executive director of media relations at AT&T, says "We're really not going to offer more detail than what's in the statement." So in turn their not telling us if Carrier IQ is in all of their hand sets or not.

I have heard, but not been able to confirm that Carrier IQ is in everything IPhone related up to but not including IOS 5. I suggest you upgrade your phone ASAP. Apple is also being a little hush hush on which products are using Carrier IQ. Here is what apple says about the snoop software: “We stopped supporting Carrier IQ with IOS 5 in most of our products and will remove it completely in a future software update. With any diagnostic data sent to Apple, customers must actively opt-in to share this information, and if they do, the data is sent in an anonymous and encrypted form and does not include any personal information. We never recorded keystrokes, messages or any other personal information for diagnostic data and have no plans to ever do so.”

T-Mobile is admitting to using Carrier IQ as a diagnostic tool similar to the way Sprint is using the application. Here is what a T-Mobile Spokesperson has to say: "T-Mobile does not use this diagnostic tool to obtain the content of text, email or voice messages, or the specific destinations of a customers' internet activity, nor is the tool used for marketing purposes." Personally I have a hard time believing they don't but then again who am I?

Sprint is also admitting to using the snoop app, but also claiming it is only for legitimate services. "I am concerned what the definition of legit is to these corporate snoops", although Sprint is a little more willing to discuss things than AT&T. spokeswoman Stephanie Vinge-Walsh said Sprint uses Carrier IQ's data to work out handset performance and to identify problems sooner: "We collect enough information to understand the customer experience with devices on our network and how to address any connection problems, but we do not and cannot look at the contents of messages, photos, videos, etc., using this tool.... The information collected is not sold and we don't provide a direct feed of this data to anyone outside of Sprint."

The explanations that these corporations are giving is not very encouraging to me. I think it opens up a can of worms just because the information has been collected. In an instance where one of these companies is subpoenaed by law enforcement, private conversations will more than likely be given up. Are we living in a police state in the USA today? THis whole thing is very unsettling to me. ~ NML