Telstra faces backlash over mishandling of 140,000 silent numbers

Telstra has come under scrutiny following an Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation that found the telecommunications company mishandled the personal information of 140,000 customers who had requested unlisted numbers, also known as silent numbers. These details were made publicly available, breaching the carrier's licence conditions.

Consumers are entitled to request their phone numbers be unlisted, meaning they do not appear on recipients' phones or in directories. This option is particularly important for individuals concerned about privacy and safety.

Carol Bennett, CEO of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), expressed strong criticism of Telstra's actions and the limitations of the regulatory penalties available to ACMA. "There are very good reasons why people elect to have a silent number. Regardless of the reason, they should be able to expect privacy in that choice," Bennett stated. She underscored the significance of silent numbers from both privacy and safety perspectives, referencing concerns raised by women's service organisations.

"This issue typifies an enforcement and consumer protections system that isn’t fit for purpose. The ACMA should have a modern regulatory toolkit at its disposal, and be empowered to apply strong and immediate penalties commensurate with the seriousness of misconduct," Bennett added, highlighting the need for more robust deterrent measures in the industry.

Rebecca Glenn, CEO of the Centre for Women's Economic Safety (CWES), also criticised Telstra's breach. Glenn articulated the broader ramifications of the privacy breach, particularly for women experiencing economic abuse in the context of domestic and family violence (DFV).

"The ACMA investigation into Telstra revealed a horrifying breach of privacy with financial safety implications on top of other potentially devastating consequences," Glenn remarked. She indicated that the only remedy for affected individuals—changing their phone numbers—creates a significant burden. "This creates a significant burden on victim-survivors to contact providers of financial and essential services with updated details."

Glenn insisted that the telco sector needs to take domestic and family violence more seriously. "Clearly, current consumer protections in the telco sector have insufficient deterrence power to drive better behaviour," she concluded.

The scrutiny faced by Telstra following the ACMA investigation has brought to light significant concerns regarding the protection of personal information and the adequacy of existing consumer protections. The incident has sparked calls from consumer advocacy groups for more stringent regulatory measures to prevent such breaches and ensure that the telecommunications industry upholds the highest standards of privacy and safety for all customers.