The FCC announced a draft rule that would require all mobile carriers to collect a government‑issued ID from anyone buying a prepaid SIM or device.
The proposal treats prepaid accounts the same as post‑paid ones, mandating name, address and photo ID at the point of sale. Carriers would need to keep the data for a year and share it with law‑enforcement upon request. The rule is open for public comment until August 9.
If adopted, the measure would make the cheap, disposable phones often used for privacy‑focused or illicit activities much harder to obtain. Advocates say it could curb scam calls and illegal commerce, while critics warn it erodes anonymity and may push users toward less regulated online alternatives.
In practice, the change could turn a $10 device into a bureaucratic transaction – a shift many privacy‑savvy users will watch closely.