For Immediate Release
May 5, 2005
Please Contact: Michael Bloom, 617-722-1650

Draft MBTA Privacy Policy Does Not Protect Consumers, says Senator Barrios

(Boston, MA) Days after the MBTA released its draft privacy policy, Senator Jarrett T. Barrios said commuters need more assurances from the agency that their personal financial information will be protected. Barrios also called on commuters to review the policy and make comments to the MBTA by the May 20th deadline. The draft policy is available at the MBTA website.

“The new Charlie Card will bring the MBTA into the 21st century but that can’t be allowed to come at the expense of a commuter’s personal privacy,” said Senator Barrios. “First and foremost, people who ride the T have the right to know that their personal financial information will not be compromised.”

Barrios said his concerns center around how a person’s information will be shared with third parties and was shocked to find out that the draft policy has no provision requiring the MBTA to notify a commuter if their financial data was stolen. “If someone’s financial and personal information is stolen by a criminal who hacked into the MBTA’s system, that commuter must be notified as soon as possible,” said Barrios. “A notification requirement must be included in any final privacy policy.”

Barrios said he was also concerned about how commuters will be tracked as they travel through the MBTA’s system. In order for seniors and the disabled to receive their discount they will be required to give up their personal information and financial data, and this will be linked to their whereabouts on the T. “I’ve been told this information will be kept for at least 14 months or longer. This is completely unnecessary and leaves the tracking database vulnerable to attacks from hackers,” said Barrios.

This year the MBTA plans to roll out its new automated fare system and the privacy policy was developed, under pressure from Barrios, to inform commuters how their personal and financial data will be treated under the new system. In December 2004, Barrios filed Senate Bill 183 with Representative Carl Sciortino, the Personal Information Protection Act, to protect consumer privacy and prevent the MBTA from tracking commuters in the T system.

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