Major operators in the US followed through on a promise to stop sharing user information with location aggregators after a public outcry in 2018.

Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile US told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) they had put a stop to sharing customer location data in March.

Sprint told the regulator it plans to stop contracting with location aggregators by 31 May, after which it “may provide LBS [location based services] directly to customers” which are in the public interest, but added “there are no firm plans at this time”.

All four operators promised to stop sharing location information in 2018 after a revelation that a third party improperly gained access to information shared with an aggregator.

But Motherboard reported in January the operators had yet to make good on their pledge.

While the FCC took no official action, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel asked the operators for updates and said she felt compelled to release their responses to keep the public informed.

“This is an issue that affects the privacy and security of every American with a wireless phone…I will continue to press this agency to make public what it knows about what happened”.