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?
.. the rule of law exists in this world. There are two sets of laws, one for the rich and corporations and another for the rest of us. The reality is the internet and technology has made it cheap and easy to collect data on everyone. Even if you wanted privacy it can't exist due to technological advancement. Our technology is making rule of law irrelevant.
The last 20 years the internet enabled software companies to steal peoples game and OS software (drm) and remove their privacy by force because we can't reach them. The only solution is reconstituting corporations legally so they certain behaviors aren't allowed or they lose their charter, but that's unlikely given the free market fundamentalism that grips the world. The only way out would be for society to have a say in how corporations or businesses are run and given the mass stupidity and huge amounts of money arrayed against that outcome it is unlikely.