8 ms·

Simple Opt Out – Links to opt out of data sharing by companies

70 points by funOtter 4y ago

bcherny 4y ago
Putting this info all in one place is an excellent first step, but seems far from “simple”. What would it take to turn this list into a 1-click opt-out for all of these services?
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- janosdebugs 4y ago
  You can't, unless the services are mandated by law to make this possible. They are trying it as hard as possible for you to know this information and to opt out.
  - midasuni 4y ago
    The IHG form for example “This form is currently only available to Californian residents. Please see our Privacy Statement for more information, and for details on how to contact the Privacy Office.” Corporations will abuse you. This data selling isn’t an accident, it’s all about making a few extra pennies on your custom. Every company does it so you can’t vote with your dollar. The only protection is legislation.
funOtter 4y ago
End of the year is a great time to opt out! The GitHub source: https://github.com/troy/simpleoptout https://github.com/troy/simpleoptout
agrue 4y ago
I recently made a purchase at a friend's small brick and mortar retailer using a credit card. He texted me a couple days later thanking me for the support. Turns out the shop has a Square cash register, and for cc transactions Square provides any email addresses associated with that card, provided the customer has "opted in". Similarly, I purchased an air compressor at Lowes a few months back. Lowes has been emailing my wife about the air compressor pretty regularly, as she used that card (mine, not joint) for some online shopping a few months prior. Good thing it wasn't a surprise for her.
- sneak 4y ago
  This is one of the many reasons I always pay cash for things at retail. Any business that doesn't accept cash doesn't get my business.
  - toastal 4y ago
    Living in Thailand where cash is primary and often the only form of payment, it took no time to adjust to it and now that piece of mind of not having every purchase tracked is great. Yesterday I bought a monitor at the mall and they gave me a pretty nice discount and free shipping because I didn't go credit/debit. You see card usage requiring $50 minimums or buyer pays the network fee too. Herein lies a pretty big societal difference where the network fee isn't built-in and cash payers aren’t subsidizing or implicitly paying those fees for card users.
    - yummypaint 4y ago
      Credit cards in the US are effectively a regressive tax, because the people with good credit using cards get their fees refunded through card perks. Thailand is very good about not having regressive taxes in general. Someone making the median income doesn't pay more than about 2% tax at most.
    - midasuni 4y ago
      Cash handling costs for normal businesses - at least in the west - are higher than cars handling costs. The only time that changes is for companies avoiding tax or money laundering.
    - orev 4y ago
      In the US, card companies require that merchants charge the same price for both cash and credit, so there’s no incentive to avoid using cards (so the processors make more money overall on fees).
  - smcleod 4y ago
    In Australia basically no one I know has or uses cash anymore. It probably wasn't helped by how bulky and heavy Australian coins are coupled with how many you need to buy anything these days - but other than the coins it is sad, I don't really like having all money handled by private companies.
programmarchy 4y ago
Would be awesome if there was a ChatGPT bot that could use Twilio's Voice API to navigate IVRs and negotiate with representatives to perform these opt-outs.
- grepfru_it 4y ago
  My friend used a chatbot tied to a TTS engine to provide basic technical support. It was hilarious and is not ready for prime time.
bloodyplonker22 4y ago
Paypal takes the cake for the worst of the worst on this list. It says you are not even able to opt out when you use Paypal.
zirgs 4y ago
`Chase may share your "account balances and transaction history … For nonaffiliates to market to you."` What the hell? How is this even legal? That kind of info should only be available to the police with a warrant.
- jareklupinski 4y ago
  Along with this after you're done: "Keep in mind: It'll take 4 to 6 weeks for your changes to take effect."
IYasha 4y ago
Very nice collection. Not for me unfortunately, but still great! I'd love to see more international and compnies from other countries listed in the future!

70 points by funOtter 4y ago

Putting this info all in one place is an excellent first step, but seems far from “simple”. What would it take to turn this list into a 1-click opt-out for all of these services?

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
janosdebugs 4y ago
You can't, unless the services are mandated by law to make this possible. They are trying it as hard as possible for you to know this information and to opt out.
- midasuni 4y ago
  The IHG form for example “This form is currently only available to Californian residents. Please see our Privacy Statement for more information, and for details on how to contact the Privacy Office.” Corporations will abuse you. This data selling isn’t an accident, it’s all about making a few extra pennies on your custom. Every company does it so you can’t vote with your dollar. The only protection is legislation.

funOtter 4y ago

End of the year is a great time to opt out! The GitHub source: https://github.com/troy/simpleoptout https://github.com/troy/simpleoptout

agrue 4y ago

I recently made a purchase at a friend's small brick and mortar retailer using a credit card. He texted me a couple days later thanking me for the support. Turns out the shop has a Square cash register, and for cc transactions Square provides any email addresses associated with that card, provided the customer has "opted in". Similarly, I purchased an air compressor at Lowes a few months back. Lowes has been emailing my wife about the air compressor pretty regularly, as she used that card (mine, not joint) for some online shopping a few months prior. Good thing it wasn't a surprise for her.

sneak 4y ago
This is one of the many reasons I always pay cash for things at retail. Any business that doesn't accept cash doesn't get my business.
- toastal 4y ago
  Living in Thailand where cash is primary and often the only form of payment, it took no time to adjust to it and now that piece of mind of not having every purchase tracked is great. Yesterday I bought a monitor at the mall and they gave me a pretty nice discount and free shipping because I didn't go credit/debit. You see card usage requiring $50 minimums or buyer pays the network fee too. Herein lies a pretty big societal difference where the network fee isn't built-in and cash payers aren’t subsidizing or implicitly paying those fees for card users.
  - yummypaint 4y ago
    Credit cards in the US are effectively a regressive tax, because the people with good credit using cards get their fees refunded through card perks. Thailand is very good about not having regressive taxes in general. Someone making the median income doesn't pay more than about 2% tax at most.
  - midasuni 4y ago
    Cash handling costs for normal businesses - at least in the west - are higher than cars handling costs. The only time that changes is for companies avoiding tax or money laundering.
  - orev 4y ago
    In the US, card companies require that merchants charge the same price for both cash and credit, so there’s no incentive to avoid using cards (so the processors make more money overall on fees).
- smcleod 4y ago
  In Australia basically no one I know has or uses cash anymore. It probably wasn't helped by how bulky and heavy Australian coins are coupled with how many you need to buy anything these days - but other than the coins it is sad, I don't really like having all money handled by private companies.

programmarchy 4y ago

Would be awesome if there was a ChatGPT bot that could use Twilio's Voice API to navigate IVRs and negotiate with representatives to perform these opt-outs.

grepfru_it 4y ago
My friend used a chatbot tied to a TTS engine to provide basic technical support. It was hilarious and is not ready for prime time.

bloodyplonker22 4y ago

Paypal takes the cake for the worst of the worst on this list. It says you are not even able to opt out when you use Paypal.

zirgs 4y ago

`Chase may share your "account balances and transaction history … For nonaffiliates to market to you."` What the hell? How is this even legal? That kind of info should only be available to the police with a warrant.

jareklupinski 4y ago
Along with this after you're done: "Keep in mind: It'll take 4 to 6 weeks for your changes to take effect."

IYasha 4y ago

Very nice collection. Not for me unfortunately, but still great! I'd love to see more international and compnies from other countries listed in the future!