Who's Reading Your Bills?

A court ruling on privacy riles the FCC

It's enough to make the most gregarious gabber think twice before picking up the phone again. What if the record of all your personal calls--whom you're talking to, when and for how long--were being sold to the highest bidder, by none other than your very own telephone company? Every time you dial up your shrink for a quick calm-me-down, for instance, that history could be sold to a pharmaceutical firm ready to pitch you on the benefits of tranquilizers.

A telemarketing nightmare, perhaps. But if a recent federal court decision is any guide, that kind of invasion of privacy could...

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