RadioShack wants to sell customer data to the highest bidder, and many people are very upset

By Williams Pelegrin March 30, 2015

radioshack may sell customer data — Sergey Yechikov/Shutterstock

Even though the fate of customers’ data wasn’t revealed when RadioShack filed for bankruptcy last month, most thought the retailer wouldn’t sell that info to the highest bidder. RadioShack had even promised not to do so, but recently, KSL reported that the retailer plans to sell off customers’ sensitive information.

Part of the company’s bankruptcy process now involves the sale of the information of 117 million customers. This information includes names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and even customers’ purchase history. Unsurprisingly, this has aroused the ire of more than a few attorneys general of several states, including RadioShack’s home state of Texas. These attorneys general have filed objections against the auction, arguing RadioShack violated its promise to not sell its mailing list.

In his motion, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that, even in the form of a bankruptcy auction, RadioShack’s attempted sale of customer data is a “false, misleading, and deceptive business practice.” The motion references a promise made by the retailer in its privacy policy, which was posted on its website.

“At RadioShack, we respect your privacy. We do not sell our mailing list,” the policy reportedly read.

According to Bloomberg, AT&T is also fighting RadioShack’s quest to sell off customer data. The carrier claims that it owns the data — not RadioShack — because it helped the retailer sell phones with detailed AT&T customer information lists and other key info. AT&T argues that the data could be used by a competitor to hurt AT&T’s business.

RadioShack did not issue a comment on the matter, and it’s unclear whether the retailer will follow through with the auction. The rest of the retailers’ plans are slightly more transparent.

When RadioShack announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Sprint announced it would move into 1,750 locations to allow RadioShack to live as a store-within-a-store. In other words, Sprint would be the main brand on storefronts, with the RadioShack brand still visible within the stores.

Amazon is rumored to have a similar deal with RadioShack, though there hasn’t been any confirmation from either company on that front.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Williams Pelegrin

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…

Computing

Great for school, this 14-inch laptop is on sale for $270

Asus Vivobook S 14 Flip front angled view showing display and keyboard deck.

If it's time to replace your outdated laptop but you're on a tight budget, look no further than Best Buy's offer for the Asus Vivobook 14. From its original price of $430, you can get it for just $270 following a $160 discount, for one of the most affordable laptop deals that you can buy right now. There's always high demand for cheap but dependable laptops, so we don't expect this bargain to last long -- it's highly recommended that you complete your purchase immediately.

Why you should buy the Asus Vivobook 14
The Asus Vivobook 14 is equipped with the 11th-generation Intel Core i3 processor and integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770, in addition to 8GB of RAM that's considered by our guide on how much RAM do you need as a good starting point for laptops. You won't be able to run demanding tasks like video editing on the Asus Vivobook 14 as it's nowhere near as powerful as the top-of-the-line models of the best laptops, but for basic functions like browsing the internet, typing documents, and checking social media, it's more than enough.

Computing

Best Buy just dropped the price of this 17-inch Chromebook under $300

asus cxb170cka chromebook deal best buy may 2023 17 inch promotional image

If you're looking through laptop deals for a device with a large display but your budget's tight, you may want to set your sights on the 17-inch Asus CXB170CKA Chromebook. It's already pretty affordable at its original price of $389, but Best Buy's $90 discount makes it even cheaper at just $299. The offer may end at any moment though, so if you don't want to miss out, you shouldn't waste time thinking about it -- proceed with your purchase as soon as possible.

Why you should buy the 17-inch Asus CXB170CKA Chromebook
The Asus CXB170CKA Chromebook is equipped with a 17.3-inch Full HD display, for sharp details and realistic colors when you're browsing the internet, working on a project, or watching streaming content. However, for a device with such a screen, it's still light at just a little over 5 lbs., while its thickness of 0.78 of an inch means it's easy to slide into your bag to take with you when you're on the go. The Chromebook also has a built-in HD webcam with a microphone, so you'll be able to use it to join online meetings as long as you're connected to the internet.

Deals

Best Prime Day deals: What to expect on Prime Day 2023

Best Prime Day 2022 Deals graphic with multiple products.

Doesn't Prime Day feel like it comes around sooner every year? Kind of like Christmas but for anyone who's hunting around for deals, we're huge fans of Amazon's Prime Day event. It's often one of the best times of year to score a great deal on some very highly sought after products. If you've somehow missed all the fuss in recent years, or you simply need a refresher on the event, we're here to help. Below, we've explained exactly what is Prime Day (you're going to love it), when the event is likely to be, and what to expect too. If you're wondering if other retailers are getting in on the act and everything else you need to know, we've got you covered. Keep reading and remember to be excited -- it's going to be a good one.
What is Prime Day?
Prime Day is Amazon's biggest sales event of the year. It also tends to be the biggest sales period outside of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The event started back in 2015 to celebrate Amazon's 20th birthday. Since then, it's gone from strength to strength with hundreds of millions of products sold during the event. Originally, it started out as a one-day sales event but it now encompasses two days so there are plenty of opportunities to save big.