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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

#41

This is particularly messed up because you know poorer people will take this option so they can afford their next phone or device. It preys on lower-income individuals unaware of what is going on. People who generally aren't aware of what rights are being tossed out, or may not even have the luxury to put personal rights above cost.

Poorer people's browsing histories are also less valuable to Verizon.

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

#42
As far as disgusting invasions of privacy go, at least in this case, the customer has a choice of whether or not to opt in. Usually, megacorps simply siphon the data and use it however they wish, regardless of what the customer wants.

Still, this pushes society further along the spectrum away from valuing one's own privacy.

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

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If we stop punishing companies when they have a bad quarter, this probably would not be happening.

Nyah, they still have a singular mission to make money for their shareholders. But, if we started rewarding companies with our business when they exhibit good behavior, that might move the needle.

> Nyah, they still have a singular mission to make money for their shareholders.

That's a myth. The idea was invented by Milton Friedman and the Chicago School economists in the 1970s.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/harold-meyerson-the-...

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

#44

In my country broadband Internet connection provided by two major ISPs has a price that increases by about 1.5$/month, if you don't agree for your personal data to be used for marketing purposes.

What? Care to share the country you are in?

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

#45
I think a bunch of people are giving Verizon a hard time for this program but it at least has a much better value proposition than any other advertising system most people interact with. Google and Facebook slurp all your data with the justification that they will be able to personalize it better and you get nothing in return. Hopefully this may set a precedent so that others may follow.

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

#47
post #45

I think a bunch of people are giving Verizon a hard time for this program but it at least has a much better value proposition than any other advertising system most people interact with. Google and Facebook slurp all your data with the justification that they will be able to personalize it better and you get nothing in return. Hopefully this may set a precedent so that others may follow.

What you get in return, is the ability/privilege to use Google, and Facebook. I'm not saying it's worth it, but it's not nothing.

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

#48
post #41

This is particularly messed up because you know poorer people will take this option so they can afford their next phone or device. It preys on lower-income individuals unaware of what is going on. People who generally aren't aware of what rights are being tossed out, or may not even have the luxury to put personal rights above cost.

Poorer people's browsing histories are also less valuable to Verizon.

To Verizon, yes, but who said there isn't a secondary market for that information? I'm reminded of how Facebook is a net buyer of information from Oracle: there's a thriving resale market.

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

#49
> "Deli Meeks, a 26-year-old forklift operator in Atlanta, said he doesn't mind Verizon accessing his data."

I am perfectly fine with this. One of the biggest issues people have had in recent years is the level of invasive practices companies have been using in the name of advertising. My current assumption is that yes, while it is a breach of privacy, the issue is that is was something I produced that I didn't get to have a say in being sold/used. I've been using Google Rewards for a while now, even recently broke the $100 mark. When I was a kid, I scoured the internet for sites that would pay me to take surveys.

Some people obviously don't want their privacy invaded, and for that I definitely advocate for better privacy policies maintaining that.

However, this 'data' that I am generating, I'm not doing anything with it. And companies WANT it. I am a producer, producing a good (data) that a consumer (companies) want. Getting back to my first paragraph, I am more upset I'm not being compensated for all this arbitrary data I'm generating that companies are taking from me for free. When companies offer these types of rewards, I'm fine with it. So what, they know how to tailor goods to me. I have enough discipline to recognize an ad.

[For anyone pointing to people that cannot tell whats an ad, that's more an educating people issue and I'll argue another point like privacy policies]

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

#50

It seems to me that this is he future we are heading, where privacy is only accessible for higher classes, it's a shame we are going in this direction just in the name of profit.

If we stop punishing companies when they have a bad quarter, this probably would not be happening.

Who is "we"? I'm not a Google shareholder.
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