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Privacy Policies Heading Downhill

Posted by michael on from the faster-than-a-speeding-bullet dept.

ipfwadm writes: "There's a good article in the NY Times about various internet companies changing their privacy policies to allow the selling of users' information to marketers. The article mentions Yahoo and how they changed everyone's marketing preferences recently, among other companies (including everyone's favorite, Microsoft)." We already did a story on Yahoo's changes, but this one is notable because Yahoo's former vice president for direct marketing blasts the changed policy. And LorenzoV submitted a story from Wired about TrustE failing to censure Yahoo over their changes. Again.

7 of 183 comments (clear)

  1. Show Yahoo why they are wrong by Fastball · · Score: 5, Informative
    https://edit.yahoo.com/config/delete_user

    Use the above link to delete your Yahoo account. It's the Internet folks. There are alternatives. There are always alternatives.

  2. Dyson Makes a Great Point by stoolpigeon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    when she says,

    "I've also been disappointed in consumers," she said, "in that they've not been proactive in protecting their own data. You do a survey and consumers say they are very concerned about their privacy. Then you offer them a discount on a book and they'll tell you everything."

    and it's true.

    People get all worked up over what these companies do- then sign up for the free trip contest that no one will win.

    People should disclose less personally. They should encrypt more.

    How many average internet users today would be able to tell where there personal information had been leaked? Not many, because they give it out in so many place.

    If you only tell one person a secret. And it gets back to you that everyone knows-- then you know who squealed.

    Let's not take the easy route and dump all the blame in one place.

    .

    --
    It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
    1. Re:Dyson Makes a Great Point by LionKimbro · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I have a nice seat here at the corporate office for you and your ethical conscience. Can I interest you hiring you to find out how to manipulate people's consumer behavior into letting us exploit them?

      Which seems more likely:

      Situation A: It is largely the fault of everyone you know- your mother, your father, your brothers and sisters, your daughters and sons. Most everyone is to blame. When your mom got her Yahoo account, she should have fully research the implications of her online contracts. She should not only check "Don't send me unsolicited email", but she should also call up Yahoo to make sure that Yahoo won't try to advertise to her by phone, either.

      Or situation B. Admit that we have better things to do, and that we expect- no, rely on, moral behavior from the people we do business with. That there are unspoken agreements to be followed. That even though your mom gave some information to get $5.00 off from a book sale, that she doesn't really expect, nor want, to have that information sold and resold.

      Perhaps if the tradeoffs were more clearly written, your mom wouldn't have made the trade, but years of market research have shown that subtly describing is better than overtly saying, and your mom got conned. You have been conned, unless you defend such conning, and as such, carefully read every contract with a fine comb. Remember- Marketing: It's not persuasion, It's product awareness. (gleam!)

      "It's right for others to be scammed, because they don't do the work to make sure that they themselves aren't scammed. They've got what's coming to them." Empowering. Indeed. That's right- everyone YOU know is a slacker. Your friend the pot head. Your friend the sports fan. Your friend the raver. Your friend the dad. Your friend the child. Slackers- all of them. If they give out their information, they've got what's comming to them.

  3. TrustE by dionysis12480 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the interview:
    "To the extent possible, you would like companies to honor the preferences that were previously set by the users. But on the other hand, we don't want to tell companies they can't do something when their business strategy changes. We have to balance those things."

    From their site:
    "TRUSTe's Privacy Seal: When you see the TRUSTe seal, you can be assured that you have full control over the uses of your personal information to protect your privacy."

    Does anyone else find this amusing?

  4. No Reg. Link by brunes69 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Please posters, spend the 30 extra seconds needed to get the no registration link which is ALWAYS at Yahoo. It is ironic that, on a story about privacy and access to your information, the poster doesn't seem to care at all about NYT stroing his information and reading preferences.

  5. As we get more desensitized... by Leeji · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm really upset about all these "your rights online" issues -- not because it's bad reporting (despite what you trolls like to say,) but because I'm getting desensitized to it.

    In the net's infancy, the community attacked ANY company who breached our trust or good will. A lot of dot-bombs can attest to that. As we watch the internet grow, however, these violations have become so mainstream that only the truly offensive ones catch our attention. Even at that, the definition of "offensive" changes every day.

    A few years ago, Yahoo! couldn't have dreamed of pulling a stunt like they just did. The backlash would have crippled, and possibly bankrupted them. Today, though, it's little more than an annoyance to us and a non-issue to newbies.

    Kazaa got removed from download.com, but will still probably make millions from their scam. Companies like Gator will continue to abuse their market share. As the internet matures -- and we get even more desensitized -- companies will do worse, and we'll accept it.

    --
    It all goes downhill from first post ...
  6. attn. Yahoo by sulli · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I am willing to pay.

    Yes, I know this is heresy on the internet even now, but you need money, and I have money, so maybe we can make a deal. (and yes, I know this is slashdot and not yahoo, but perhaps a yahoo or other provider employee will read it.)

    Here is what I have with Yahoo:

    A Yahoo Mail account

    Several Yahoo Groups that I administer

    A "My Yahoo" page with various crap

    I would be willing to pay:

    $5/month for each Group I administer to make it 100% ad-free

    $5/month for my Yahoo Mail account to make it 100% ad-free

    Some reasonable, flat monthly rate amount to make all my yahoo browsing and usage 100% spam and ad-free

    some modicum of service standards (notably on groups, which is quite unreliable at present)

    certified, and not by TrustE, "we will never spam you ever" privacy

    I have my credit card right here, yahoo. I bet many other users would pay for no ads. Get with the program!

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.