Recording the websites you visit: MTN explains
A Sunday Times report stated that MTN “records all websites visited by clients on its networks for billing purposes”. This raises questions about the privacy of users and the safety about this stored information.
The late technology law expert Reinhardt Buys explained in 2009 that “in terms of the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act an Internet download may not be intercepted or monitored in this way without the prior written consent of the user.”
“Doing so is a criminal offence. In other words, collecting this kind of evidence [like websites visited] is a criminal offence subject to a R1-million fine,” said Buys.
MTN SA’s GM for product and solutions, Mike Fairon explained that MTN does not actively monitor sites visited by their subscribers nor invade the privacy of its customers.
“MTN does not record the contents of sites visited or downloads made by its subscribers. The history of websites visited is stored solely for billing purposes should a customer request to interrogate their data usage bill,” said Fairon.
“As a law-abiding corporate citizen, MTN complies with laws that aim to regulate the interception of communication and therefore all information is deemed privileged and can only be accessed upon customer request or by a subpoena from a court of law.”
MTN was asked who has access to this sensitive information, but the company did not answer this question as part of its feedback.
Mike Fairon, general manager for product, innovation, and development at MTN
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