BUSINESS BRIEFING / TELECOM
Times Wire Reports
The Federal Communications Commission has slapped more than 660 small telecommunications firms with a total of $13.3 million in fines for failing to certify that they’re keeping customer information safe.
The FCC’s action is part of its attempts to tighten the rules governing customer information. Reports surfaced in recent years that private investigators and “data brokers” were able to elicit phone records and other information from firms.
Last year the FCC required for the first time that companies certify that they were following regulations on customer information.