By Chuck Bentley

Clark Howard recently shared some helpful information about how to protect your personal information if you use Verizon for your mobile services. In the past, Verizon tracked everything you did on your phone. From an email, to the pages you visit, they collected a data-rich summary of your activity and were able to sell it to marketers. This has been referred to as a “Super Cookie,” which is simply an electronic tracking method attached to your phone.

Verizon is finally giving in to media pressure and abandoning their Super Cookie Tracking. If you are a Version user, here are a few ways to opt out and protect your privacy.

* First, try calling them at 866-211-0874 to opt out. Hopefully that will make it quick and simple.

* Another method is to go to the Verizon Customer Privacy Settings page at https://www.verizonwireless.com/myprivacy/. Log in to your Verizon account on that page. There are three radio buttons on that page to select in order to opt out:

1. Customer proprietary network information settings (billing and related telecommunications services information about you).

2. Business and marketing reports (browser history, location information, apps and features usage).

3. Relevant mobile advertising (targeted demographic-based advertising delivered to your phone).

Select the negative response radio button (“Don’t share,” “Don’t use,” and “No, I don’t want to participate in…”) for each of the three categories. Click Save Changes. Scroll through the page to ensure the proper radio buttons are still selected.

If that doesn’t work, think about a new mobile service provider. In today’s world, our personal information is being collected in thousands of ways. Marketers and government agencies alike are using it. It may seem like a small thing now, but our privacy is ultimately an important aspect of our freedom. We need to protect it as much as possible.

Originally posted 4/22/2015.