February 2, 2008
Company shuts down cell phone directory
A company that once boasted of creating an online directory of 90 million mobile telephone numbers, and drew fire from cell phone users and privacy advocates for it, said Friday it has stopped the service “in response to consumer feedback.” MSNBC reports.
Intelius Inc. made the announcement two days after a story about its controversial cell phone directory appeared on msnbc.com, and three days after a leading wireless phone company threatened to sue the Bellevue, Wash.-based firm.
... Verizon Wireless wasn’t a customer, but earlier this week called on Intelius to “halt the mining and sale of these numbers.”
“Stop it,” said Steve Zipperstein, vice president and general counsel of Verizon Wireless, in a statement. “This is a violation of Americans’ privacy. People expect their cell phone numbers to remain private.”
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