Verizon now tracks and shares Web surfing, location, app usage

Verizon Wireless has made a change in its privacy policy that clears the nation's largest wireless carrier to track its subscribers' Web browsing, location and app usage habits.

The change in Verizon's privacy policy covers all customers of the company by default, automatically opting-in subscribers, though they can opt out of this if they want. So why would Verizon want to track its customers' Web surfing, location, app usage and other data-consuming behaviors? Verizon said in a statement announcing the privacy change on their website that the data will help them make "mobile ads you see more relevant." The policy change also clears Verizon to share the Web browsing data to produce "certain business and marketing reports" and then share that information with "other companies to create business and marketing reports." Verizon also said that all the data shared with outside companies will be anonymized and that Verizon "will not share outside of Verizon any information that identifies you personally."