Your phone records just got password protected. The FCC wants to keep douchebags at Hewlett-Packard from impersonating you to obtain your phone records, so they’ve approved some new rules to help protect your privacy. From BusinessWeek:

In addition to the password protection, the rules also require carriers to ask for customers’ permission when sharing private account information with business partners and independent contractors.

Phone companies have contended that such an “opt-in” requirement violates their First Amendment right to communicate with customers — a position that was backed by a federal court in 1999.

The new safeguards also require that consumers be notified immediately when there are changes made to their passwords, addresses or online accounts.

—MEGHANN MARCO

FCC announces pretexting rules [BusinessWeek]

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