WARNING: Gingerbread OTA update has spyware to extort Wireless Router users

[androzza]

The latest Verizon "upgrade" will spy on what applications you are running and report back to Verizon.

If this software includes Wireless Router, it'll **disable** your Internet connection until you agree to pay Verizon $20/month more. (Every website you go to will be redirected to an extortion page. Email and other Internet services are also disabled. There is nothing you can do to get your data service to work again -- except for agree to pay Verizon $20/month.)

In other words, the update is a Trojan horse to make more money for Verizon.

 

[OneTenderRebel]

I would be almost willing to bet anything this is not an official OTA from Verizon. This would be highly illegal, if so. Verizon doesn't just sent out trojans to make more money.

 

[Droid-Xer]

Source?

 

[DroidMoose]

LOL

Sent from my DROID3 using DroidForums

 

[Shadez]

This has been posted several times, its not spyware and their is an option to opt out. http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...changes-privacy-policy-makes-you-opt-out.html

 

[androzza]

Source?

First-hand experience.

Has anyone here with Wireless Router installed NOT had this happen?

 

[Droid-Xer]

Latest android version DroidX here using wifi tether beta and sometimes barnacle. No issues.

 

[Shadez]

Sounds to me that they just blocked illegal tethering with the update. As I never tethered, that sounds like what it is.

 

[bsweetness]

First-hand experience.

Has anyone here with Wireless Router installed NOT had this happen?

As Shadez said, Verizon is just trying to stop tethering that is against the terms of the contract that everyone agreed to. It doesn't completely disable your internet connection. It just prevents tethering that you didn't pay for. You can still use data on the phone itself. And yeah, I've heard the argument that you're paying for unlimited data, so you should be able to use it for whatever you want. But regardless of whether that argument has any merit or not, it's irrelevant because everyone agreed not to do it. So, Verizon is well within their rights to do this.

But even then, if you really want to do it, all you have to do is use a different tethering app.