4 ms·

Maybe for some or even most sites this makes sense. But Walmart, Home Depot, etc., from the article are businesses open to the public, and as such operate under

Maybe for some or even most sites this makes sense. But Walmart, Home Depot, etc., from the article are businesses open to the public, and as such operate under laws governing public businesses. Few would put up with Walmart making them sign a contract letting them sell their personal demographic information in order to enter a public store (except if every public business did this, removing the choice - currently how most of the internet works). Why should websites for public businesses be different? You may say that credit and debit cards do this already (and they do), but you can still pay cash in public stores. Of course they can track you with your phone's bluetooth identifiers, facial recognition, etc., but why as a society should we allow public businesses to require this? Once we permit one place to do it, others will follow.

fastest963 7y ago
> Few would put up with Walmart making them sign a contract letting them sell their personal demographic information in order to enter a public store What about Costco, BJ's, etc who require a membership to enter the store and (probably) are selling the data they get from your membership?
- blackearl 7y ago
  You don't need a membership to enter. Specifically, the Costco near me has a liquor store inside but can't legally have it be part of the store. It's a separate store within Costco, and they won't stop you from walking in, buying liquor, and leaving. You can even grab a cheap hot dog on the way
  - ab_testing 7y ago
    Costco does not do that because of the goodness of their heart. They do that because state laws mandate liquor stores to allow anyone to buy liquor without being part of a club or membership. You can thank your state's liquor lobby for that.
    - blackearl 7y ago
      I can still go enter without a membership. Liquor store or not.
- droithomme 7y ago
  If something is members-only and you have to pay a fee to be a member is it, legally, public?
- jlgaddis 7y ago
  In that case, you are making an informed decision by entering into a written contract -- you are free to do that, if you wish.
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fastest963 7y ago

> Few would put up with Walmart making them sign a contract letting them sell their personal demographic information in order to enter a public store What about Costco, BJ's, etc who require a membership to enter the store and (probably) are selling the data they get from your membership?

blackearl 7y ago
You don't need a membership to enter. Specifically, the Costco near me has a liquor store inside but can't legally have it be part of the store. It's a separate store within Costco, and they won't stop you from walking in, buying liquor, and leaving. You can even grab a cheap hot dog on the way
- ab_testing 7y ago
  Costco does not do that because of the goodness of their heart. They do that because state laws mandate liquor stores to allow anyone to buy liquor without being part of a club or membership. You can thank your state's liquor lobby for that.
  - blackearl 7y ago
    I can still go enter without a membership. Liquor store or not.
droithomme 7y ago
If something is members-only and you have to pay a fee to be a member is it, legally, public?
jlgaddis 7y ago
In that case, you are making an informed decision by entering into a written contract -- you are free to do that, if you wish.

deleted 7y ago

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