Verizon Sued Over Voiceprint Collection From Customer Callers

Verizon Communications Inc. collected the voiceprints of consumers during customer-service calls in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, a proposed federal class action said.

Thelton G. Parker Jr. and Steven Doyle alleged that Verizon took voiceprints of callers for identification purposes without telling them why it was doing so or obtaining their written consent as required under BIPA.

The company purports to obtain the consent of consumers when they enroll in its Voice ID system, but the consent is illusory and doesn’t comply with BIPA’s requirements, according to a complaint filed Sept. 13 in the US District ...