5 ms·

Maybe it's because I live on the internet and think there's 1024 meters in a kilometer, but I didn't find this surprising or worrisome in the least. I would ex

Maybe it's because I live on the internet and think there's 1024 meters in a kilometer, but I didn't find this surprising or worrisome in the least. I would expect all large stores to perform data-mining, that data is valuable.

eridius 15y ago
Took me a moment to realize what was wrong about "1024 meters in a kilometer". I think I need to go outside more.
- dmoney 15y ago
  1024 meters would be a "kibimeter", abbreviated "Kim". (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibibyte http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibibyte)
  - rsc 15y ago
    1024 meters is only a kibimeter if you're a pedant.
    - harto 15y ago
      Welcome to The Internet.
sliverstorm 15y ago
Not to mention there seems to be an implicit value judgement here. All fathers are deeply connected with their children, and know their darkest secrets, all the time! The reality is plenty of parents are very uninvolved in their childrens' lives.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- a_a_r_o_n 15y ago
  Kids get pregnant even when the parents are very involved. The reproductive imperative will be served, like water seeking its own level.
jgw 15y ago
Surprising that they mine data? No. Surprising that they mine data, and act on potentially sensitive information? Somewhat. Worrisome that they effectively took it upon themselves to disclose to her father that she was pregnant? I find it shocking that anyone would think it's not.
- pyre 15y ago
  > Worrisome that they effectively took it upon themselves to > disclose to her father that she was pregnant? I find it > shocking that anyone would think it's not. I don't think that they 'disclosed' that to the father. Sounds like it went down like this: 1. girl gets pregnant 2. girl gets pregnancy coupons 3. father gets angry, goes to store and complains 4. store manager has no clue why the ad was sent, and apologizes to father 5. girl admits to father that she is pregnant 6. father apologizes to store manager
  - jgw 15y ago
    They effectively did, because step 2 was really: "2. Based on girl's purchases, company sends flyers - not private mail - addressed to girl by name, advertising specific types of products directly to her." That her father didn't immediately put 2 and 2 together is besides the point. I think in his position, I might well have figured it out. Perhaps its a function of age (I'm 37), but I am genuinely surprised at someone not finding this a clear violation of privacy. [EDIT: Afterthought - it might be quite interesting to plot HN's attitude towards this against age. Would the younger people be less uncomfortable with it because this is the world they've grown up in?]
    - SquareWheel 15y ago
      Well, I'm 21, and I don't see it as a violation of privacy because they're choosing to publish the data (their purchasing habits) simply by making the purchases. I think it'd be naive to assume otherwise. Similarly, Google and Facebook track you to show you more relevant ads, and thus increase conversions. That's not to say I don't find things creepy, but if the data is obviously collectible, you should assume it's being collected.
newbusox 15y ago
I agree. I'm sure there was a time not too long ago when merchants at local shops would know customers by name and learn their habits, and, possibly, be able to learn intimate details about customers by looking at what products they bought. If the merchant then recommended a product to one such customer based on those observations, that's good business. I suppose the translation from local town merchant to faceless corporation is something of a change (most notably because the corporation may be able to use this information for other/nefarious purposes), but, conceptually, it seems to be replicating the same behavior that doubtlessly has occurred in some form since people began selling products to other people. Instead of arguing that businesses have become more invasive of our privacy, you could also argue that we have simply become more protective (or aware of) our privacy in recent years, which is why this seems like a big problem to a lot of people.
- pbhjpbhj 15y ago
  If you warch the old BBC classic 'Open All Hours' about a corner shop you'll see this behaviour - "we've got that gingerbread that your Mr likes so much" or whatever.

eridius 15y ago

Took me a moment to realize what was wrong about "1024 meters in a kilometer". I think I need to go outside more.

dmoney 15y ago
1024 meters would be a "kibimeter", abbreviated "Kim". (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibibyte http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibibyte)
- rsc 15y ago
  1024 meters is only a kibimeter if you're a pedant.
  - harto 15y ago
    Welcome to The Internet.

sliverstorm 15y ago

Not to mention there seems to be an implicit value judgement here. All fathers are deeply connected with their children, and know their darkest secrets, all the time! The reality is plenty of parents are very uninvolved in their childrens' lives.

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
a_a_r_o_n 15y ago
Kids get pregnant even when the parents are very involved. The reproductive imperative will be served, like water seeking its own level.

jgw 15y ago

Surprising that they mine data? No. Surprising that they mine data, and act on potentially sensitive information? Somewhat. Worrisome that they effectively took it upon themselves to disclose to her father that she was pregnant? I find it shocking that anyone would think it's not.

pyre 15y ago
> Worrisome that they effectively took it upon themselves to > disclose to her father that she was pregnant? I find it > shocking that anyone would think it's not. I don't think that they 'disclosed' that to the father. Sounds like it went down like this: 1. girl gets pregnant 2. girl gets pregnancy coupons 3. father gets angry, goes to store and complains 4. store manager has no clue why the ad was sent, and apologizes to father 5. girl admits to father that she is pregnant 6. father apologizes to store manager
- jgw 15y ago
  They effectively did, because step 2 was really: "2. Based on girl's purchases, company sends flyers - not private mail - addressed to girl by name, advertising specific types of products directly to her." That her father didn't immediately put 2 and 2 together is besides the point. I think in his position, I might well have figured it out. Perhaps its a function of age (I'm 37), but I am genuinely surprised at someone not finding this a clear violation of privacy. [EDIT: Afterthought - it might be quite interesting to plot HN's attitude towards this against age. Would the younger people be less uncomfortable with it because this is the world they've grown up in?]
  - SquareWheel 15y ago
    Well, I'm 21, and I don't see it as a violation of privacy because they're choosing to publish the data (their purchasing habits) simply by making the purchases. I think it'd be naive to assume otherwise. Similarly, Google and Facebook track you to show you more relevant ads, and thus increase conversions. That's not to say I don't find things creepy, but if the data is obviously collectible, you should assume it's being collected.

newbusox 15y ago

I agree. I'm sure there was a time not too long ago when merchants at local shops would know customers by name and learn their habits, and, possibly, be able to learn intimate details about customers by looking at what products they bought. If the merchant then recommended a product to one such customer based on those observations, that's good business. I suppose the translation from local town merchant to faceless corporation is something of a change (most notably because the corporation may be able to use this information for other/nefarious purposes), but, conceptually, it seems to be replicating the same behavior that doubtlessly has occurred in some form since people began selling products to other people. Instead of arguing that businesses have become more invasive of our privacy, you could also argue that we have simply become more protective (or aware of) our privacy in recent years, which is why this seems like a big problem to a lot of people.

pbhjpbhj 15y ago
If you warch the old BBC classic 'Open All Hours' about a corner shop you'll see this behaviour - "we've got that gingerbread that your Mr likes so much" or whatever.