Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Verizon is Selling Your Personal Data

alpha.app.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 131 posts

Re: Verizon is Selling Your Personal Data

#21

Post by danilocampos »

andrewljohnson wrote: post #18
danilocampos wrote: post #17

Unrelated, but having had to log in, I'm now reminded of a VZW security issue: Can someone explain the doubtless backward and sloppy thinking that would convince Verizon that they should forbid their users from including symbols in their passwords?

I've taken to flagging all comments like this. I don't think it even remotely adds to the discussion to pick some usability issue and harp on it. These kind of comments crop up for every story. Easy way to score points, not useful, buries better comments. I think a good rule of thumb is that if you didn't need to read the article to make a comment, it's not a good comment.

Welp,

A: Mazal tov. I enjoy the magical thinking that makes your meta comment more valuable than my meta comment.

B: This isn't a usability issue. This is a security issue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password_strength

C: It's not an "article." It's a tweet. So we don't have a lot of deep meaty content to work with here. Are you a bot? Did you read it?

Re: Verizon is Selling Your Personal Data

#22

Post by rkudeshi »

A related story: I was recently shopping around for a new ISP. One I considered was Verizon FiOS. In order to see the prices in my area, I had to enter my address.

Two weeks later, I got a letter in the mail. Written outside on the envelope was something like: "We noticed you were checking out our website! Here's a special offer just for you..."

It's not the same as what OP posted, but it certainly left me creeped out.

Re: Verizon is Selling Your Personal Data

#23

Post by ericcholis »

kruffin wrote: post #12
dude_abides wrote: post #3

Thanks for the PSA. While I understand why these things tend to be opt-out by default, I'm surprised there was no email from Verizon updating users about these new settings with a link to opt-out if they wanted to. I used to think that the telecom industry is a lot more regulated than social network companies like Facebook, but I guess that's not really true!

I received an email a while back from them basically saying they were going to start taking privileges with my data if I didn't go to a page and opt-out. I don't remember the text, but that was the gist. [Edit] Did some digging and the email subject was: Important Update Regarding Your Privacy It has various sections on what will be used and how with a call to action at the bottom listing your options. Opening text:…

I can confirm that I also received this message some time ago.

Re: Verizon is Selling Your Personal Data

#26

Post by roryokane »

These are the steps to opt out of Verizon “selling your personal data”, as far as I can tell:

Visit http://www.vzw.com/myprivacy. If you are not already signed in to My Verizon, you will be prompted to sign in – after doing so, return to that myprivacy page.

Click the link “Manage Location Privacy settings” near the bottom, which points to https://locationmanagement.vzw.com/

You should now be at “Location Management” > “Location Privacy Settings”. I’m guessing that this is where you actually opt-out. I’m not sure because there’s nothing for me to do here – I see “There are no services available. A location service must be downloaded on the handset to be listed here.”.

Re: Verizon is Selling Your Personal Data

#27

Post by stephengillie »

kruffin wrote: post #12
dude_abides wrote: post #3

Thanks for the PSA. While I understand why these things tend to be opt-out by default, I'm surprised there was no email from Verizon updating users about these new settings with a link to opt-out if they wanted to. I used to think that the telecom industry is a lot more regulated than social network companies like Facebook, but I guess that's not really true!

I received an email a while back from them basically saying they were going to start taking privileges with my data if I didn't go to a page and opt-out. I don't remember the text, but that was the gist. [Edit] Did some digging and the email subject was: Important Update Regarding Your Privacy It has various sections on what will be used and how with a call to action at the bottom listing your options. Opening text:…

(2) making mobile ads you see more relevant.

Does this mean they'll start replacing website ads with their own ads, like some wifi programs do?

Re: Verizon is Selling Your Personal Data

#29

Post by jlgreco »

stephengillie wrote: post #27
kruffin wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I received an email a while back from them basically saying they were going to start taking privileges with my data if I didn't go to a page and opt-out. I don't remember the text, but that was the gist. [Edit] Did some digging and the email subject was: Important Update Regarding Your Privacy It has various sections on what will be used and how with a call to action at the bottom listing your options. Opening text:…

(2) making mobile ads you see more relevant. Does this mean they'll start replacing website ads with their own ads, like some wifi programs do?

Possibly, but I imagine it is really just lingo for "sell your information to advertisers".

Does Verizon software on phones have advertisements? Maybe they are going to start doing that.

Re: Verizon is Selling Your Personal Data

#30

Post by jonah »

knighthacker wrote: post #2

wow. At least they gave you the option to opt-out haha :)

Except the law and their own wording requires opt-IN:

"...we need your permission to share this information among our affiliates, agents and parent companies (including Vodafone) and their subsidiaries."

Post reply on HN