Still can't wrap my head around the idea that they even have my browsing data. Just connect me to the Internet and mind your own business.
Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
41–50 of 233 posts
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#42I look forward to the day when selling user's data requires the user's opt-in every single time a third party wants to access that data. No more "yes to all" or allowing blanket usage in TOS/EULAs. People who use apps that sell their data should be bombarded with requests to use that data each and every single time, until they either decide the app isn't worth it or the app decides they should try a different busines…
Each and every time? As a user who understands and consents to that request, that would be incredibly annoying.
Causing incredible annoyance is obviously the idea. It would drive away users, making business models that relied on it less efficient. It's a great idea.
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#43Why not ban browser companies, operating system companies, computer/phone companies, email providers, etc. too?
Not only that, but credit card companies, banks, tv providers, insurance agencies, charities, service providers, political organizations, _every business I interact with_. Unless I explicitly provide permission, why should any business I interact with be able to sell information about that transaction to another business that is unrelated to the transaction?
This is one _huge_ advantage to cash in the current market, but that doesn't apply to the dozens of other ways companies are tracking people.
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
There was a campaign by the Maine Chamber of Commerce running against it on the grounds that the privacy protections didn't go far enough. They only applied to ISPs (carriers) not to companies higher in the stack (Facebook, etc.). [1] I couldn't quite work out of this campaign was done out of legitimate concern or was a cynical attempt to derail it? I mean, I agree with them that privacy legislation should apply broa…
I feel like industry groups often use the "perfect as the enemy of the good" tactic to try and sabotage any starting point on progress.
and of course they never propose any "perfect" solution that they'd actually support.
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
Each and every time? As a user who understands and consents to that request, that would be incredibly annoying.
Your consent should be considered an outlier and should not be used to hinder my lack thereof.
I don't think their consent is an outlier. Most users are somewhat ok with selling their data in exchange for free services. I mean I use Gmail, Google Search, Google Maps, etc. etc. knowing they hoover up my data because, in the end, I value the ability to have these services for free more than I care about Google's ability to collect useful statistics about me/its users.
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
We should ban collecting tons if info about people, for all companies, period. We won't, because banks and CC companies are very into doing that and the politicians love them, but we should.
No. Because many businesses rely on data available. FAANG would be out of business then.
If FAANG business depends on data which should be private then FAANG should be out of business.
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#47Earlier quoted context omitted.
There was a campaign by the Maine Chamber of Commerce running against it on the grounds that the privacy protections didn't go far enough. They only applied to ISPs (carriers) not to companies higher in the stack (Facebook, etc.). [1] I couldn't quite work out of this campaign was done out of legitimate concern or was a cynical attempt to derail it? I mean, I agree with them that privacy legislation should apply broa…
I feel like industry groups often use the "perfect as the enemy of the good" tactic to try and sabotage any starting point on progress.
This isn't "progress", it's the silicon valley oligopoly on traffic data trying to maintain its position through legislation. If we're going to hold as a societal standard that it's okay for companies to sell traffic data, then more competition is better. The more centralized the control, the easier it is for the companies in power to exploit the general public.
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your consent should be considered an outlier and should not be used to hinder my lack thereof.
I don't think their consent is an outlier. Most users are somewhat ok with selling their data in exchange for free services. I mean I use Gmail, Google Search, Google Maps, etc. etc. knowing they hoover up my data because, in the end, I value the ability to have these services for free more than I care about Google's ability to collect useful statistics about me/its users.
> Most users are somewhat ok with selling their data in exchange for free services.
I think you're incorrect. I think most users recognize that they usually don't have a choice: they don't have money to provide for services that they need, so they are _forced_ to use services that are cheaper or free. And I think most users feel helpless to do anything about it because most politicians actively ignore them (because they're poor) or work against them (because not-poor businesses pay politicians), and also because most businesses providing free service do not provide any useful mechanism for human interaction. Ever have trouble with a free service? Your only recourse is to go on social media and complain and hope to catch enough public attention such that someone who works at the company will reply. And even then you're not guaranteed a resolution to your issue.
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#49My hope is that a high tracking rejection rate will cause these companies running data vacuums on the side to reconsider the RoI of investing in data vacuums - it could result in a sort of herd immunity to advertising, if 95% of people opt-out the other 5% may be effectively opted out since advertising to just 5% of consumers becomes unprofitable.
Re: Maine passes bill to prevent ISPs from selling browsing data without consent
#50Why not just prevent them from collecting it in the first place?