Verizon Accused of Illegally Selling 140 Million Users’ Data

Verizon Communications Inc. sold the data of more than 140 million wireless subscribers to third parties for targeted advertising without users’ knowledge or consent, according to a proposed class action.

Verizon allowed third parties to access user data gathered from customers’ devices and disclosed customer information to advertising companies using a variety of tracking technologies, according to a complaint filed Thursday in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaint didn’t identify the third-party companies allegedly working with Verizon.

Customers were automatically included in this process and couldn’t be removed from the program unless they ...