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Verizon Up offers rewards in exchange for customers’ personal information

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Re: Verizon Up offers rewards in exchange for customers’ personal information

#2
unpaywalled mirror: http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/09/05/verizon-wants...

I'm actually ok with this idea, because it introduces the concept of companies "paying" for your data. To me, that means a couple things:

1. People with privacy concerns can use verizon but _not_ participate in their data collection program.

2. It opens up the idea of a competitive market for your data. Google and others have gotten away with "all your data for free access to [product]" for too long, which is almost like a fixed exchange rate. Clearly, Google makes enough money in search that they could have started "paying" users to use their products long ago.

Re: Verizon Up offers rewards in exchange for customers’ personal information

#5

unpaywalled mirror: http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/09/05/verizon-wants... I'm actually ok with this idea, because it introduces the concept of companies "paying" for your data. To me, that means a couple things: 1. People with privacy concerns can use verizon but _not_ participate in their data collection program. 2. It opens up the idea of a competitive market for your data. Google and others have gotten a…

I think that there will be ethical issues as long as "your" data is owned by the company collecting it, not you and can be used in any way without your consent. I believe that until this relationship is reversed, voluntarily giving your data can never be beneficial. If your data can be collected and traded freely there is a high probability of it reaching well-paying but malicious parties at some point, if even just in a decade when the company goes bankrupt.

I'm curious how things like GDPR that attempt to fix this will change the landscape in terms of this.

Re: Verizon Up offers rewards in exchange for customers’ personal information

#7
Is this not what all rewards programs are? How is this different from the local supermarket rewards card that I have, which "rewards" me with coupons targeted towards my purchasing habits?

I'm not sure how to better inform people on these issues.

Re: Verizon Up offers rewards in exchange for customers’ personal information

#8

This is going to be a natural result of the incoming GDPR. My own startup will be doing something similar in order to remain compliant. You now have to ask politely for people's data, and then give them a carrot in return for it.

Verizon is US-only; the GDPR doesn’t seem applicable.

Re: Verizon Up offers rewards in exchange for customers’ personal information

#9
I don't think it's clear to most people that this is a data collection initiative. It's marketed more as a let us show you cool things we think you'll like.

Rewards like this are bullshit also, you usually end up with a coupon that lets you buy something for slightly more then you could if you waited for a sale.

Re: Verizon Up offers rewards in exchange for customers’ personal information

#10

This is going to be a natural result of the incoming GDPR. My own startup will be doing something similar in order to remain compliant. You now have to ask politely for people's data, and then give them a carrot in return for it.

Verizon is US-only; the GDPR doesn’t seem applicable.

It is applicable if Verizon have a single EU citizen on their books, which they do; if the EU wish to pursue them I'm sure there is some way they could be held accountable.

I am not so sure that american companies can just "hide" from this, they are actually quite exposed. Delta airlines, for example, appear to be quite worried by it internally, and are making changes to suit.

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