4 ms·

What if AT&T offered a $29 discount instead for opting in to ads? I relize its just rephrasing the issue, but it's kind of like I can become a member of my groc

What if AT&T offered a $29 discount instead for opting in to ads? I relize its just rephrasing the issue, but it's kind of like I can become a member of my grocery store's "club card" to save money in exchange for them spying on my purchasing habits. I of course chose not to participate, but some don't mind giving up their privacy for the right price.

nitrogen 12y ago
It would be like car manufacturers offering a discount to eliminate airbags and seatbelts.
username223 12y ago
> I can become a member of my grocery store's "club card" to save money in exchange for them spying on my purchasing habits. 234-567-8901 works as a phone number for one of the major US chains. I use another fake phone number for the other. I even get a gas discount on it sometimes.
jkyle 12y ago
No matter where you are, take the local area code and append 867-5309. Works every time, every store I've been to in any state. ;)
axaxs 12y ago
FWIW, at Kroger and probably other places, just ask for a card and tell them you're in a hurry and will fill out the form at home. Of course, never do that. Been using mine for years. I see it as a win win, they could probably get interesting correlations from my buying habits, but have no idea who I am. Of course share phone numbers work too, as another poster mentioned.
- techsupporter 12y ago
  > but have no idea who I am. If you pay with a credit or debit card in your own name when using that card, the store very much does know who you are. Target dispenses with the entire loyalty-card-and-discount idea to just match by payment data.
  - callesgg 12y ago
    it is not allowed to use the information on cerdit/debit cards for anything but payments.
    - Gifford 12y ago
      There is 0 enforcement of this.
    - techsupporter 12y ago
      Not allowed by whom? The New York Times documented, in its famous "Target knew someone was pregnant before the rest of the family did" article, that the non-numeric information is used: "Whenever possible, Target assigns each shopper a unique code--known internally as the Guest ID number--that keeps tabs on everything they buy. 'If you use a credit card or a coupon, or fill out a survey, or mail in a refund, or call the customer help line, or open an e-mail we've sent you or visit our Web site, we'll record it and link it to your Guest ID,' [Target Stores statistician Andrew] Pole said. 'We want to know everything we can.'" http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.h...
      - kevin_thibedeau 12y ago
        This isn't isolated to Target. Long time data aggregators like Acxiom collect electronic payment records on everyone. Incidentally, they perform contract work for the NSA which undoubtedly has unlimited access to Acxiom's entire dataset.
    - baconner 12y ago
      Is there a law you're referring to here or is this part of CC processor contracts?
      - callesgg 12y ago
        I thought it was a part of the contracts but apperently it is a swedish law that disalowes gathering of personaly identifiable data without explicit consent.

nitrogen 12y ago

It would be like car manufacturers offering a discount to eliminate airbags and seatbelts.

username223 12y ago

> I can become a member of my grocery store's "club card" to save money in exchange for them spying on my purchasing habits. 234-567-8901 works as a phone number for one of the major US chains. I use another fake phone number for the other. I even get a gas discount on it sometimes.

jkyle 12y ago

No matter where you are, take the local area code and append 867-5309. Works every time, every store I've been to in any state. ;)

axaxs 12y ago

FWIW, at Kroger and probably other places, just ask for a card and tell them you're in a hurry and will fill out the form at home. Of course, never do that. Been using mine for years. I see it as a win win, they could probably get interesting correlations from my buying habits, but have no idea who I am. Of course share phone numbers work too, as another poster mentioned.

techsupporter 12y ago
> but have no idea who I am. If you pay with a credit or debit card in your own name when using that card, the store very much does know who you are. Target dispenses with the entire loyalty-card-and-discount idea to just match by payment data.
- callesgg 12y ago
  it is not allowed to use the information on cerdit/debit cards for anything but payments.
  - Gifford 12y ago
    There is 0 enforcement of this.
  - techsupporter 12y ago
    Not allowed by whom? The New York Times documented, in its famous "Target knew someone was pregnant before the rest of the family did" article, that the non-numeric information is used: "Whenever possible, Target assigns each shopper a unique code--known internally as the Guest ID number--that keeps tabs on everything they buy. 'If you use a credit card or a coupon, or fill out a survey, or mail in a refund, or call the customer help line, or open an e-mail we've sent you or visit our Web site, we'll record it and link it to your Guest ID,' [Target Stores statistician Andrew] Pole said. 'We want to know everything we can.'" http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.h...
    - kevin_thibedeau 12y ago
      This isn't isolated to Target. Long time data aggregators like Acxiom collect electronic payment records on everyone. Incidentally, they perform contract work for the NSA which undoubtedly has unlimited access to Acxiom's entire dataset.
  - baconner 12y ago
    Is there a law you're referring to here or is this part of CC processor contracts?
    - callesgg 12y ago
      I thought it was a part of the contracts but apperently it is a swedish law that disalowes gathering of personaly identifiable data without explicit consent.