Verizon will pay a $1.35 million fine over its "supercookie" that followed phone customers on the Internet and the government says it's required to get an explicit "yes" from customers for some kinds of tracking.
The supercookies, which the Federal Communications Commission said Verizon started using in 2012, landed their name because they were hard to block. They are used to deliver targeted ads to cellphone customers.
Verizon is investing in ad technology and media as it seeks new growth generators, spending $4.4 billion last year on AOL, for example.
The New York company has already changed some practices critics considered most invasive. It now lets customers opt out of the program, for example.
Verizon did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
Copyright 2016 WAMC Northeast Public Radio
