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A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

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Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#41

Post by newscracker »

lazyjones wrote: post #33

"My email address isn't on the web" Yes it is, you put it there. https://github.com/garybernhardt/dotfiles/blob/master/.mutt/... I fail to see the dramatic issue here. FWIW, I once got a very good (unsolicited) job offer after putting code on the web, more than a decade before github even existed.

Over decades, despite terms of service and laws, it looks like people have been tamed to think that if they put their email address or phone number on the web, they're asking to be spammed or called or sent communication they don't want. It shows how poor a job laws and education have done. Backlash like this article is warranted and required to change this defeatist attitude.

Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#42

Post by garmaine »

ChickeNES wrote: post #38
garmaine wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People on Twitter don’t know how git works, it seems.

No, the recruiter admitted to following a guide online that used the API

What I mean is that outrage over GitHub revealing author email is a bit odd given the way public git repos work.

Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#44

Post by pembrook »

Annoying, yes. But not worthy of the front page here.

Meanwhile in West Virginia, wages are deflating, working-age unemployment is the 3rd highest in the nation and the opioid crisis rages on.

But yes, it is terrible to work in one of the fastest growing, highest paying sectors of the economy—growing so fast that recruiters will go to such extreme lengths to fight for a chance at giving you even more money.

Sometimes I think we could use a little perspective.

Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#45

Post by gene91 »

lidHanteyk wrote: post #36
blodovnik wrote: post #17

Why is this a big deal? Of course recruiters search public information. Learn to live with it. If your outrage threshold is this low then you’re going to spent all your life in a state of outrage. It’s nit even interesting let alone important. Information in github, far from being surrounded by an invisible force field of integrity protection, is actually prime hunting territory for recruiters and any recruiter who d…

This is a big deal because the recruiter is in clear violation of the GitHub ToS[0]. Quoting from section H: "You may not use the API to download data or Content from GitHub for spamming purposes, including for the purposes of selling GitHub users' personal information, such as to recruiters, headhunters, and job boards." Of course recruiters are incapable of sound ethical judgement. Part of living with people who ha…

It's not obvious to me why the recruiter in question is in violation of this rule. The rules bans someone from extracting information with GitHub API and selling such information to recruiters. It does not seem to ban recruiters from acquiring this information themselves.

Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#46

Post by smokelegend »

rubenfonseca wrote: post #27

To all people out there that say “you are making your email public by pushing it to github”, please remember that just because something is on the internet doesn’t give you absolutely any right to use it. That’s the big deal here.

It's the Internet... back when dialup was a thing... most users understood when you share something on the Internet... It's shared on THE INTERNET... if you don't want people knowing something about you then don't publish it on the INTERNET!!! Seems like some have forgotten this Golden Rule... #privilegeMuch #OpSecFail #thoughtprogrammersweresmart

Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#47

Post by blodovnik »

lidHanteyk wrote: post #36
blodovnik wrote: post #17

Why is this a big deal? Of course recruiters search public information. Learn to live with it. If your outrage threshold is this low then you’re going to spent all your life in a state of outrage. It’s nit even interesting let alone important. Information in github, far from being surrounded by an invisible force field of integrity protection, is actually prime hunting territory for recruiters and any recruiter who d…

This is a big deal because the recruiter is in clear violation of the GitHub ToS[0]. Quoting from section H: "You may not use the API to download data or Content from GitHub for spamming purposes, including for the purposes of selling GitHub users' personal information, such as to recruiters, headhunters, and job boards." Of course recruiters are incapable of sound ethical judgement. Part of living with people who ha…

It’s not spam for a recruiter to send an email to a developer.

Spam is defined as “unsolicited bulk email”.

Https://spamhaus.org/consumer/definition

It’s a one off, not hulk, so recruiters emailing developer emails found on GitHub isn’t spamming.

Nor is the email address being sold in this case so that aspect of GitHub terms is not being violated.

So in fact you’re wrong and it’s perfectly legitimate for recruiters to use email addresses from GitHub and email them asking about jobs.

Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#48

Post by [deleted] »

pembrook wrote: post #44

Annoying, yes. But not worthy of the front page here. Meanwhile in West Virginia, wages are deflating, working-age unemployment is the 3rd highest in the nation and the opioid crisis rages on. But yes, it is terrible to work in one of the fastest growing, highest paying sectors of the economy—growing so fast that recruiters will go to such extreme lengths to fight for a chance at giving you even more money. Sometimes…

[deleted]

Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#49

Post by dragonwriter »

blodovnik wrote: post #47
lidHanteyk wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a big deal because the recruiter is in clear violation of the GitHub ToS[0]. Quoting from section H: "You may not use the API to download data or Content from GitHub for spamming purposes, including for the purposes of selling GitHub users' personal information, such as to recruiters, headhunters, and job boards." Of course recruiters are incapable of sound ethical judgement. Part of living with people who ha…

It’s not spam for a recruiter to send an email to a developer. Spam is defined as “unsolicited bulk email”. Https://spamhaus.org/consumer/definition It’s a one off, not hulk, so recruiters emailing developer emails found on GitHub isn’t spamming. Nor is the email address being sold in this case so that aspect of GitHub terms is not being violated. So in fact you’re wrong and it’s perfectly legitimate for recruiters t…

> Spam is defined as “unsolicited bulk email”.

More commonly, unsolicited/unwanted commercial email, see, e.g.:

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0038-spam

Re: A recruiter used the GitHub API to pull my email address out of Git commits

#50

Post by DanBC »

dragonwriter wrote: post #49
blodovnik wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not spam for a recruiter to send an email to a developer. Spam is defined as “unsolicited bulk email”. Https://spamhaus.org/consumer/definition It’s a one off, not hulk, so recruiters emailing developer emails found on GitHub isn’t spamming. Nor is the email address being sold in this case so that aspect of GitHub terms is not being violated. So in fact you’re wrong and it’s perfectly legitimate for recruiters t…

> Spam is defined as “unsolicited bulk email”. More commonly, unsolicited/unwanted commercial email, see, e.g.: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0038-spam

The commercial aspect is a red-herring, because B2B where there's an existing business relationship are normally excluded from spam laws.

The UBE (unsolicited, bulk, email) definition is the one used by most blocklists and filters and ISP AUPs.

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