Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#1

Post by omilu » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 3:33 PM UTC

Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages
informeddelivery.usps.com

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#2

Post by omilu » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 3:37 PM UTC

This feature is great. See a grayscale scale image of the envelopes and packages being delivered to your house everyday.

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#3

Post by mikro2nd » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 3:38 PM UTC

Sounds like USPS is joining the panopticon-purveying surveillance capitalism game. "It's only metadata..."

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#4

Post by kawfey » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 4:15 PM UTC

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/11/u-s-secret-service-warns...

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#5

Post by visviva » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 4:16 PM UTC

Why though?

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#6

Post by artificial » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 4:17 PM UTC

mikro2nd wrote: post #3

Sounds like USPS is joining the panopticon-purveying surveillance capitalism game. "It's only metadata..."

Joining? This is the result of it. Every parcel and package is photographed and available to LE.

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#7

Post by rickyc091 » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 4:19 PM UTC

kawfey wrote: post #4

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/11/u-s-secret-service-warns...

They've "fixed" the loophole by sending you a physical letter with a pin number that you have to input onto their website to activate the service. However, someone that's targetting you could still steal your mail with the pin.

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#8

Post by SlowRobotAhead » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 4:19 PM UTC

omilu wrote: post #2

This feature is great. See a grayscale scale image of the envelopes and packages being delivered to your house everyday.

What decision or choices do you make based on that new data stream? What is the advantage, because I really don’t get the idea.

Edit: I see below; that theft awareness and not having to go check the mailbox are the features... ok, I guess. I have trouble believing that this applies to so many people they need to support a public facing service for it.

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#9

Post by azinman2 » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 4:19 PM UTC

visviva wrote: post #5

Why though?

I like knowing what’s coming so that if it’s missing I know a theft has occurred, and given how infrequent I receive useful mail I know when to check.

Re: Digitally preview incoming USPS mail and packages

#10

Post by wil421 » Tue, Mar 05, 2019, 4:19 PM UTC

mikro2nd wrote: post #3

Sounds like USPS is joining the panopticon-purveying surveillance capitalism game. "It's only metadata..."

It’s well known the FBI monitors mail going through USPS. They are able to flag addresses or people for inspection and backtrack all mail.[1][2] People used to send a lot more bombs through the mail and recently anthrax. I’m supprised it’s not so well known.

I’m not sure you have an expectation of privacy sending mail through anyone like USPS, FedEx, and UPS. They can open whatever they want at any time. Tracking packages should be trivial.

[1]https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/us/monitoring-of-snail-ma...

[2]https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_Isolation_Control_and_T...