Slashdot Mirror
Ask Slashdot: How Is It Even Legal For Websites To Gather And Sell Users' Data?
Long-time Slashdot reader dryriver sees it like this:
Lets say that I follow a person named John D. around for days without permission, make note of what John D. does and where he buys with timestamps accurate to the second without John D. knowing it is happening, analyze what kind of personality traits John D. has, enter that data into an electronic database where it is stored forever, and also make the data purchaseable to any third party who is interested.
Would I be breaking the law if John D. has not given me explicit permission to do this? Very likely. If this is the case for "meatspace data gathering", how can websites justify gathering information about visitors, and selling that information to third parties?
How would you answer this question? Attempt your own best explantions in the comments. How is your country balancing the need for online privacy with actual laws governing what can and can't be collected?
How is it even legal for web sites to gather and sell users' data?
Would I be breaking the law if John D. has not given me explicit permission to do this? Very likely. If this is the case for "meatspace data gathering", how can websites justify gathering information about visitors, and selling that information to third parties?
How would you answer this question? Attempt your own best explantions in the comments. How is your country balancing the need for online privacy with actual laws governing what can and can't be collected?
How is it even legal for web sites to gather and sell users' data?
Imagine you phonecall a company and say:
Send me a travelling Salesperson, please. Or a delivery service and say, please deliver a newspaper to my office.
They answer: "sure, but there are some conditions for that convenience, please, for the next 8 minutes listen carefully to them."
You do not listen, instead, put the phone on the table, set your watch to 7 minutes, and go brew a tea.
You return, and when the operator asks: "Do you agree to our terms?" You say "yes"
It turns out that the terms include the salesperson or deliveryperson staying in your office long after the transaction is concluded (you place your order or get your newspaper), taking notes of many of the things you do, correlating those notes with those of other delivery companies/salespeople/third parties and a long and creepy et cetera.
But hey, you neglected to hear the terms of their service, because those terms were boring, and instead you went for tea.
Having corrected the analogy used by dryriver, the correct question to ask slashdot is:
Are the terms of service used by most websites even legal?
*** Suerte a todos y Feliz dia!