A proposed FCC rule threatens the existence of burner phones, which are not linked to specific individuals. The FCC intends to mandate that telecommunication companies retain extensive personal data on nearly all phone users. This data would include government-issued identification numbers and physical addresses. Privacy advocates and civil rights activists express alarm, drawing parallels to authoritarian regimes. This policy shift would significantly alter how Americans acquire phone plans. It is also expected to have substantial repercussions for privacy and cybersecurity. The FCC is partly justifying this data collection as a measure to combat scammers. Telecommunication companies would also be required to collect information on business and foreign customers, such as the intended use of their phone plans. However, the changes would affect all new and renewing customers. The FCC has indicated the collected data could assist authorities in various other investigations, raising further privacy concerns.