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MySpace To Sell User Data
OnlyJedi writes "Hot on the news of Netflix canceling its latest contest over privacy concerns, news has spread that MySpace is going in the opposite direction. Apparently, the one-time leading social network is now selling user data to third party collection firms. From the article, the data that InfoChimps has listed includes 'user playlists, mood updates, mobile updates, photos, vents, reviews, blog posts, names and zipcodes.' InfoChimps is a reseller that deals with individuals and groups, from academic researchers to marketers and industry analysts. So if you're worried about your data on MySpace being sold off to anybody with a few hundred dollars, now's the time to delete that little-used account."
Yes, I see that it includes playlists and crap like that.
So what's the level of detail? Can I see an individual user, or just summaries at some predetermined granularity? If I can see individual users, can I see their name? If I buy a location-based dataset, can I see the exact GPS coordinates of a data point, or just ZIP code clusters, or what?
TFS is definitely worded to spread fear. As much as I dislike companies taking liberties with data they've collected - especially with no accountable opt-out for people who've already handed their data over with no expectation of this sort of behavior - I'd still like to know more about what's actually gonig on before jumping on the FUD bandwagon.
Oh, and seriously... if they are up to no good, do you really think deleting your account is going to make a difference? We're talking about the Internet; once you put something in, you can't take it back out.
However; deleting your account will keep them from gathering any further data. Be sure to explain, in graphic detail in their "reason why" box why you are deleting your account.
If their account #s drop by a third, they should get the message, whether we already "Agreed" to let them sell this info or not.
I know that Myspace gets a lot of crap for their often ugly and tasteless profile pages, but I really love being able to customize my own HTML and CSS on my profile. It's funny to me that the often pro-choice Slashdot crowd sees these features as a bad thing. Sure, most people choose to use awful profile templates but personally I enjoy having the choice to add some clean and simple decorations. Facebook doesn't offer that choice, nor do they offer the choice to opt-out of a few terrible paragraphs in their ToS, which is why I left two years ago.
I will have to re-read the new Myspace ToS before I decide whether or not to cancel my account, but if they go the way of Facebook's "We can re-license your personal photographs to whomever we want" terms then I will certainly be leaving Myspace as well. Where will I go? Who knows, perhaps it's time for me to clean the dust off of my personal domain.
I went to eat some animal crackers and the box said, "Do not eat if seal is broken." I opened the box and sure enough..
Circuit City did the same thing when it went bankrupt. It sold all of its user data to other companies. This is just another sign that MySpace is dying.
(I went to Microcenter (AMAZING STORE! Better than Newegg!) and bought something. They already had my information and informed me that they bought it from Circuit City. I don't really mind, but it was still strange.)
Of course if you did this in the first place as I did, you have little to be concerned with, and with a photo that is 10 years old, good luck using that to identify me especially seeing how when i registered i never used my name or any valid information other than a real email address and my city complete with incorrect zip code. I did the same 3 years ago when I signed up for Facebook. Once I started hear how Facebook handles this data, I am glad I chose to do it.
/. I'd be interested to know if I'm the only one using false information in 98% of my online endeavors.
Which begs another question which should probably be under Ask Slashdot. How many users here create accounts using real information, aside from sites like PayPal or where it would be required for your activities. I'm talking like email accounts, MySpace, Facebook, or even
I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
Releasing personally identifiable information (names or contact info for example) on minors is probably legally prohibited. They can probably only release aggregate non-identifiable information. Also minors can not legally enter into a contract (in the US) so terms of use agreements that allow the release of personally identifiable information may not be valid. Perhaps an EFF lawyer can send a letter.
There are automated services for this: suicidemachine.org
I think we can keep recursing like this until someone returns 1