ATT plans new Internet privacy rules

NEW YORK, June 22 (UPI) -- Internet customers must consent to reveal account and usage information in a new AT&T privacy policy beginning Friday.

AT&T told USA Today the changes generally were due to the pending merger with Bell South and a planned video service this summer.

AT&T had been accused in a lawsuit of improperly sharing records to aid the federal government's counterterrorism efforts.

Sprint and Verizon say they have no plans to modify privacy policies adopted in 2005.