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Retrieving old text messages

I am just curious since I know I am not the only person to ask this, is there a reason you need a court order to get your old text messages? It seems to me that to improve the service to your customers you would offer this as an additional feature to their lines. I am sure many of us would pay for that information to be kept and stored for us?

Is there a specific law that prohibits you from releasing it? I am planning on getting a court order however am curious as to why this cannot be linked to our "secure" accounts on line?

Thanks.

Comments

Grothka

I believe storing that information would break privacy laws... just like VZW couldn't record calls that were made over it's network without getting authorization to do it every time... I also doubt VZW wants to store all of that information for their millions of customers.

Ms_Shonta

We (Verizon Wireless) enable you to control how and if we disclose your personally identifiable information to other persons or entities, except as required by law or to protect the safety of customers, employees, or property or except when we share such information with agents, affiliates, suppliers, vendors, consultants, and contractors who use it to provide or support our products and services.

Subject to these exceptions, we will share your personally identifiable information with persons or entities outside the company only when you have consented.

-An example of when we would disclose personally identifiable information to an outside person or entity is when we are served with a subpoena for customer information. In such cases, we are required to release the information.

-Another example would be if we share personally identifiable information with other carriers and/or with law enforcement to prevent and investigate fraud and other unlawful use of communications services.

-A third example would be if we share with our affiliates personally identifiable information related to products or services you currently receive from them or us.

ellington2808

And from my understanding you will need a pending court case in order to get a subpoena.(by Maryland's law) If this is not true please send some feedback on this issue. Thanks!

shirleygail

No it DOESNT BREAK PRIVACY LAWS WHEN ITS YOUR OWN TEXTS. YES....if you backed up messages the same way you back up pictures or anything on your phone then you can retrieve them.

shirleygail

Yes you can retrieve old messages as long as you backed them up...the same way you back up pictures and then retrieve them later....or "upload" them to your phone and its totally legal without any court order because they are your texts and you backed them up in your cloud...or whatever system you use for backup and the only reason you back up anything is to be able to retrieve it at a later time...so yes you can retrieve your text messages

shirleygail

Do you back up your pictures or anything?? And is it YOURS to use and no one else can use?? And can you retrieve or download pictures or videos or whatever you backed up from YOUR back up account?? YES. YES. YES. And none of them run out of room....you may have to upgrade your storage and start paying for more storage space...but there is always space!!

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