23
My coworker in Phoenix argued we should always read every app's data sharing policy, but I called it paranoid until my location data got sold to a third-party ad network last month.
He was right, and now I'm stuck with hyper-targeted ads for Phoenix-area businesses I visited once. Do you think individuals can realistically manage this, or should laws force companies to get explicit opt-in consent for each data use?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
pat_stone1mo ago
The whole thing reminds me of how we used to hand over our phone numbers for store loyalty cards without a second thought, and now we're surprised when those same companies sell our shopping habits. @vera195 mentioned blocking tracking in browser settings, which is smart, but it's like putting a bandaid on a broken pipe when every app and website has its own sneaky policy buried in legalese. You end up spending more time trying to outsmart the system than actually using the service, and that's just not realistic for regular people with jobs and lives. Laws absolutely need to step in and make companies ask for permission every single time they want to use your data for something new, because right now it's a free-for-all where we're the product and they don't even bother telling us.
8
valc911mo ago
Ever think you could actually keep up with every single privacy policy? I used to laugh at the idea, but after a similar mess with my own data, I get it now. We're totally outmatched trying to do this alone. Companies should have to ask us clearly, every single time they want to use our info for something new.
3
davidkim1mo ago
Right, because who doesn't love spending a Saturday afternoon decoding a terms of service update that's longer than a Harry Potter book just to see if they suddenly own the rights to your weekend photos. It's basically a full time job reading the fine print on every app you download, and I have a real job I'm already ignoring. When I signed up for that weather app I just wanted to know if it was going to rain on my picnic, not give a marketing team permission to track my parking spots. Asking for permission every single time would be a nice change from the current game of "click agree and hope for the best".
2