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from the you-mean-sombody-hadn't-realised? dept.
The New York Times published an article on Sunday confirming what we've all assumed — that internet privacy policies are so full of loopholes as to be meaningless. They found that of the 100 top alexa-ranked english-language websites, 85 had privacy policies that permitted them to disclose users' personal information in cases of mergers, bankruptcy, asset sales and other business transactions.
When sites and apps get acquired or go bankrupt, the consumer data they have amassed may be among the companies' most valuable assets. And that has created an incentive for some online services to collect vast databases on people without giving them the power to decide which companies, or industries, may end up with their information.
"In effect, there's a race to the bottom as companies make representations that are weak and provide little actual privacy protection to consumers," said Marc Rotenberg, the executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a nonprofit research center in Washington.
Original Submission
(Score: 1) by mr_bad_influence on Tuesday June 30 2015, @05:47PM
Because my personal information is sold, shared, or bartered, I am less inclined to use any website which collects it (or worse, demands 'real' information). This has a chilling effect for me and it is beginning to discourage me from visiting almost any website on the 'net. It is the primary reason I won't purchase any goods from an online retailer I can get from brick and mortar, mail order, or phone orders. I doubt the online sellers miss my business much, and I don't have much hope that many other folks feel the same.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Tuesday June 30 2015, @06:01PM
Hey! I have nothing to hide. My real information is:
Address: Donald Duck, 124 Duckamnesia Blvd, Duckburg, DB 50184
Phone: +555 389211
SSN: 839-42-4892
CC: 9348 8248 5098 4091
It's true I promise! :D
PS, I have temporarily moved to my drop box so you can just send any physical objects there.
(Score: 5, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 30 2015, @06:41PM
I think that's DavidMichaelCrawford's real info.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 30 2015, @07:00PM
> Hey! I have nothing to hide. My real information is:
I use the identity of people who previously lived at my current address. Helps it blend in since they are already on the record as residents of the address. It can be problematic if they filed a change-of-address with the USPS and you actually need to receive anything through the USPS - fedex/ups/dhl are fine.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Tuesday June 30 2015, @07:07PM
Use a delivery destination somewhere else than you live and pay using COD, debit cards, cash etc?
As long as you make good on payment on your orders and not bother anyone. I don't think mail order companies give a sh-t?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 30 2015, @09:52PM
I use a private mailbox for correspondence for my real identity.
I use the masked-cards service from Abine for online purchases, they let you use any name on the masked card# that you want. Abine only gets my PO-box address (since they have my real CC#) but they never my residential address since that info stays with the merchant. So it acts as a firewall.
(Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Tuesday June 30 2015, @08:39PM
I hope you did some checks on them first. Otherwise you might one day have an unexpected visit from a debt collector …
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 30 2015, @09:48PM
I actually did get a visit. But not for the identity I had chosen. There is not much they could do anyway, if they were to serve me papers for the real person it would suck for the real person who is probably already in trouble anyway.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by frojack on Tuesday June 30 2015, @06:30PM
I won't purchase any goods from an online retailer I can get from brick and mortar, mail order, or phone orders
A distinction without a difference I'd say.
Mail/Phone orders gets keyed into the same database as on line sales.
Unless you spend your day walking from one brick store to another, and only paying with cash, and always powering down your cell phone before entering any store, you are deluding yourself. Oh, and be sure to wear your Guy Fawkes mask, because facial recognition is coming to the stores and street corners near you.
Personally, there is a limit to the amount of time I have in my day to engage in this level of paranoia. I don't like it, but I have better things to do than drive all over town for things I can have delivered with 6 mouse clicks.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Wednesday July 01 2015, @12:26AM
I like to chat with the people I meet in brick and mortar stores. That does not work well with amazon.
I always pay cash. I dont use store loyalty cards.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday July 01 2015, @12:36AM
Not really, I moved out of my parents basement many many decades ago.
I actually have a wife, offspring, grandkids, neighbors, guests, and friends. My problem is finding enough peace and quiet.
I don't walk/drive to a store just to accost some random person.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 30 2015, @10:55PM
Recently I had to get some medication from a pharmacy. I was so concerned about being followed home that I parked my car a long distance away. Then walked around the entire market in circles (inconspicuously) before entering the pharmacy (making sure there were no other customers in at that time. All of them could be spies for all I know). Then I tried to stay low key and kept an eye on everyone in the pharmacy and any cameras they may have. Then I spoke with the pharmacist like a regular dumb person and asked for the medication (while changing my voice and speech pattern slightly so it cannot be easily recognized by an algorithm). Then paid in cash the full amount, without getting back any change (I already had notes and coins for every final value) while taking care not to touch the cashier's hand. Then I got out and quickly put the medicines in my pocket and walked around in circles making sure no one follows me. I was still quite concerned about the pharmacist entering my description into a computer, so that a match can be made.
What a sad world we live in today.