Visible is Verizon's digital-only prepaid wireless brand, listed by Verizon as one of the 'Verizon Value' brands governed by Verizon's single, group-wide privacy policy rather than a separate Visible-specific document. That policy discloses network-inherent location collection (cell tower, and Wi-Fi/GPS where permitted), an opt-out 'Custom Experience' behavioral-advertising program built on browsing/app-usage data, cookies/pixels/tags/APIs used with social media and ad-tech companies, and a CCPA self-declaration that Verizon sells or shares personal information with those partners. The Visible iOS app's own App Store privacy label confirms contact info, identifiers, usage data, purchase and financial info are collected and linked to the user's identity, including identifiers used for the developer's advertising/marketing. Verizon Communications Inc. is a publicly traded (NYSE: VZ) holding company per its SEC 10-K, making Visible's ownership fully traceable through mandatory filings. No Visible-specific breach or enforcement action was found live, but Verizon as a corporate entity was fined nearly $47 million by the FCC in April 2024 for illegally sharing wireless customers' real-time location data with data aggregators without adequate consent or safeguards -- a parent-level finding, not one specific to the Visible brand.
TRACK RECORD
1 ENFORCEMENT ACTION
[2024-04-29]
The FCC's April 29, 2024 press release announcing Forfeiture Orders against the largest U.S. wireless carriers for illegally sharing customers' real-time location data without adequate consent or safeguards states that Verizon was fined almost $47 million, alongside fines against AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile for the same location-data-sharing practices with aggregators.
The Visible mobile app's App Store privacy label states that data 'collected and linked to your identity' includes Contact Info (email, name, phone number), Identifiers (User ID, Device ID), Usage Data, Purchases (purchase history), Financial Info (payment info), and User Content, collected for purposes including the developer's own advertising or marketing.
Verizon's Full Privacy Policy -- which by its own terms covers Verizon Value brands including Visible -- states that Verizon collects cell tower location information for all wireless devices, and, based on user permissions, may also collect Wi-Fi, GPS and other location information, for example through Verizon apps.
As assessed by PrivacySpy on 2021-05-26 (see PrivacySpy's rubric entry for this product for the per-claim citation): Does the service collect personal data from third parties? — Yes.
Verizon Communications Inc.'s Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025, filed with the SEC, identifies the company as a Delaware holding company operating through its subsidiaries (collectively 'Verizon'), with common stock trading under ticker VZ on the New York Stock Exchange -- confirming Visible's ultimate parent is a publicly traded, SEC-reporting entity.
Verizon's Full Privacy Policy states the policy 'applies to Verizon Wireless and Verizon Value customers,' and defines Verizon Value as including Clearway Wireless for Business, GoSmart Mobile, Net10 Wireless, Page Plus, SafeLink Wireless, Simple Mobile, Straight Talk Wireless, Total Wireless, Tracfone, Visible, and Walmart Family Mobile -- confirming Visible operates under Verizon's own single privacy policy rather than an independent one.
As assessed by PrivacySpy on 2021-05-26 (see PrivacySpy's rubric entry for this product for the per-claim citation): Does the policy outline the service's general security practices? — Somewhat.
Verizon's Full Privacy Policy self-declares, under a section describing activities 'since 2024 and presently,' that it sells or shares personal information with social media networks and advertising technology companies -- including those present on Verizon's own websites -- who combine it with other information they hold about the visitor to serve more personalized advertising.
As assessed by PrivacySpy on 2021-05-26 (see PrivacySpy's rubric entry for this product for the per-claim citation): Does the policy allow personally-targeted or behavioral marketing? — Yes, but you may opt-out.
The FCC's April 29, 2024 press release announcing Forfeiture Orders against the largest U.S. wireless carriers for illegally sharing customers' real-time location data without adequate consent or safeguards states that Verizon was fined almost $47 million, alongside fines against AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile for the same location-data-sharing practices with aggregators.
Visible's App Store privacy label lists Identifiers -- User ID and Device ID -- among the data linked to the user's identity and used for the developer's own advertising or marketing, alongside a separate Analytics identifiers category (User ID, Device ID) used for usage-data purposes.
The same Verizon Full Privacy Policy describes an opt-out 'Custom Experience' program that uses information about which sites customers visit and which apps they use on their mobile device to personalize communications, recommend products/services, and develop more appealing offers; customers are automatically included unless they opt out.