Verizon will be dealing with a couple of lawsuits from disgruntled customers. The company has been particularly busy lately, handling 5,000 worker layoffs and moving forward with the acquisition of Frontier. Now, Verizon must contend with a lawsuit pertaining to the use of voiceprints and another concerning website accessibility.
Verizon does not ask for consent to collect voiceprints, lawsuit says
Thelton George Parker Jr. and Steven Doyle filed the first lawsuit. They allege that the mobile carrier is violating Illinois data protection laws with its Voice ID feature. Voice ID is a biometric identification system that allows customers to access their Verizon accounts when they call. The system uses the customer’s voiceprint instead of a numeric password, making it more secure. However, the plaintiffs claim that the carrier does not correctly request prior authorization to capture and use voiceprints.
The Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) in Illinois mandates the use of additional layers of protection for voiceprints due to their potential for individual identification. State law mandates that companies provide customers with specific information about the handling of their data, including its use and duration of storage. The law also requires companies to request consent from customers. According to the plaintiffs, Verizon should have sent them a written request to consent to the recording and use of their voiceprints.
It’s unclear whether the lawsuit against Verizon over voiceprint use can go very far. “Voice ID is our biometrics system that uses your voice, with your consent, to help authenticate your account when you call Verizon,” reads the service’s support page. So, it appears Verizon does obtain customer consent in some form. Also, the same support page includes a “How long does Verizon keep my voiceprint?” section. So, another of the plaintiffs’ allegations would be invalid.
Carrier sued over accessibility issues on its website too
Parker Jr. and Doyle are not the only disgruntled Verizon customers. Derek Pollitt, a legally blind person, is also suing the mobile carrier. Pollitt believes Verizon’s website is very unfriendly to people with visual impairments. The plaintiff asserts that Verizon designed the website entirely with a visual focus. Verizon allegedly didn’t resort to technologies such as “alternative text, accessible forms, descriptive links, resizable text, and limited usage of tables and JavaScript.” As a result, Pollitt was unable to purchase a phone through Verizon’s website himself.
