However T-Mobile stores pictures "online and are retained until deleted or service is canceled." You can see even more data retention information on the August 2010 chart, but it's unknown if mobile phone providers have changed any of this information since the DOJ's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section compiled this " secret memo" for cops. Picture retention is a bit iffy for some as in "contact provider," according to the handy DOJ chart for law enforcement.
AT&T IP session and destination info is "only retained on non-public IPS for 72 hours. While T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile store neither, both Nextel and Sprint store IP addresses and browsing history for 60 days. Verizon keeps your IP session information for 1 year but your browsing history "IP desitination information" for 90 days. " Wow, at least one had the decency to mention a warrant is required. Virgin Mobile which is owned by Sprint keeps text detail for "60 - 90 days" and the text message content for "90 days. T-Mobile does not retain the message content, but hangs onto your text details for "pre-paid: 2 years post-paid: 5 years." Sprint and Nextel hold text detail for "18 months" depending upon the device. Verizon holds onto your text message detail for "1 rolling year" and your actual text content for "3 - 5 days." In case you were wondering, the "details" are like text "call" history which generally includes the date, time, sender's phone number and receiver's phone number. If law enforcement is so inclined as to find out, then the "details" of your text messages are conveniently kept by AT&T for "post paid 5 - 7 years " it does not retain the text message content. Virgin Mobile's is 'not retained' but can be obtained through Sprint. Verizon stores your cell-site data for "1 rolling year." Sprint and Nextel keep it for 18 - 24 months. " Retention Periods of Major Cellular Providers" was meant "to advise law enforcement agents seeking to obtain cell phone records." Mobile phone providers store data ranging from text messages, to pictures, IP addresses, browsing history, cell towers used and call logs.įor example in location tracking, since July 2008, AT&T indefinitely keeps data about which cell towers were used by your phone.
Today the ACLU posted the 2010 cell photo data retention chart received from the Justice Department via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been trying to obtain the when, why and how law enforcement uses cell phone location data to track Americans.