Ebay Changes Privacy Policy

omarius writes: "Ebay is changing their privacy policy (the Ebay FAQ on the new policy is here). According to this article on CNET, this means they can share your auction history with anyone. I heard it this morning on NPR, and am considering cancelling my account."

Comments

eBay can

[markwelch]

I think the opening paragraph about the eBay changes is misleading, and misses the point.

Omarius wrote that eBay "can share your auction history with anyone..." What's new about that? Auction bidding has long been public, though eBay has recently started hiding some data about bidders (it says to reduce spam, some say to impair competition). Sure, I might be embarassed that someone can do a search on eBay and see what items I bid on (a Monkees LP?), and what items I bought (a porn video?), but that's been a feature of the service for years.

The real change isn't about auction activity. The "real" issues, as I understand them, are these changes:

• First, eBay is broadening its right to disclose customers' "personal information" to others. The operative language is that eBay now says it can release your personal information "as we in our sole discretion determine necessary or appropriate to maintain a level of trust and safety in our community and to enforce our user agreement, privacy policy and any posted policies or rules applicable to services you use through our site." That is simply an unlimited right to do anything they want with your personal information (which I assume includes your email, address, phone, etc., and could easily include sharing your address and credit card number with any eBay merchants whose auctions you've won).

• Second, eBay now reserves the right to "suspend customers if eBay believes their actions may cause a financial loss to the company, other customers or themselves." This language could be construed to mean that anyone who criticizes eBay or any of its merchants, could be suspended because their comments might cause harm (reduced sales) to eBay or its merchant customer.