Privacy Policy

[Tinman57]

  I was off looking at The H u f f i n g t o n Post website this afternoon to see if they offered an email newsletter.  I found the "Subscribe" button right off and was getting excited.  But as usual, I read their privacy policy, which I always do before subscribing to any service.  I got down to section 2, and what a let-down.  They really get up-close and personal when you use any of their services as shown below.  I know some people could give two cents for their privacy, but I'm not one of those type people.  I think they collect way too much information, especially where I've been and where I'm going, and even what software I have installed on my computer.
  No thanks, I think I'll pass on this one....

2.What information the Site collects
Information you provide directly to us:

You are not required to provide information directly to us in order to view the Site. However, when you use certain Site functions, such as when you register for certain services, access certain content or features, or directly contact the Site, we may ask you to provide information, including:

•contact information, such as name, email address, postal address, phone number, and mobile number;
•username and password;
•information posted in community discussions and other interactive online features;
•search queries conducted on the Site; and
•correspondence you send to us.

Information automatically collected when you visit and interact with the Site:

When you visit and interact with the Site, certain information may be collected automatically, including:

•your computer's Internet Protocol (IP) address;
•your browser type and operating system;
•the web pages you were visiting immediately before and after you came to the Site;
•activities within community discussions;
•web pages and advertisements that you view, and links that you click on, within the Site;
•your bandwidth speed and information about the software programs that are installed on your computer;
•aggregated data about email click-through rates and user video viewing;
•standard server log information; and
•information collected through HTML cookies, Flash cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies. For more information, please see our discussion of cookies and other technologies.


Information we collect from other sources:

We may access information about you from third-party sources and platforms (such as social networking sites, databases, online marketing firms, and ad targeting firms), including:


•if you access third-party social networking services (such as Facebook Connect or Twitter) through the Site, your username and connection lists for those services;
•demographic data, such as age range, gender, and interests;
•advertisement interaction and viewing data, such as ad click-through rates and information about how many times you viewed a particular ad; and
•unique identifiers, including mobile device identification numbers, that can identify the physical location of such devices in accordance with applicable law.

Please note that the Site may combine the information that we collect with information we obtain from third-party sources.

[Renegade]

There are ways to get around all this invasive silliness. My guess is that most people here already know, but, just for the sake of it, I'll run down through a few ways to help.

• Get a VPN subscription from a service that doesn't keep logs (see Torrent Freak for reviews)
• Use TOR & the TOR browser
• Get multiple email accounts
• Get Keepass to store all your email accounts & passwords (or a similar program)

You can aggregate some email addresses into 1 with forwarding, but make certain to keep them mostly isolated or grouped by purpose. Do not tie any of them to your main email account and do not put in any real information. Use all fake info. It's easier to use fake info if you choose a historical figure and enter their birth dates, etc. That just makes it easier to keep track of. Also, you can keep that as a note in Keepass.

It can be a PITA, but depending upon what you want, it may be worth it.

[cranioscopical]

Oops

[40hz]

There are ways to get around all this invasive silliness. My guess is that most people here already know, but, just for the sake of it, I'll run down through a few ways to help...

You left out (1) not joining Facebook, Twitter, or Google+; and (2) if you do join any of those, be sure you lie about your name and other personal information when signing up.

[4wd]

Or to simplify:

... lie about your name and other personal information...

Always.

[TaoPhoenix]

Or to simplify:

... lie about your name and other personal information...

Always.

Not always forever, because they're closing in on the other side that "violating a site's TOS by providing false info = makes you a Bad Person".

[40hz]

Or to simplify:

... lie about your name and other personal information...

Always.

Not always forever, because they're closing in on the other side that "violating a site's TOS by providing false info = makes you a Bad Person".

Well...maybe they should remember that sometimes "you gotta take the bad with the good."


And yeah...it makes potential extra work for the Feds. Is there a problem with that?

[Renegade]

You don't have to lie.

Simply speak out loud, "My name is Dread Pirate Roberts." Poof! You've just given yourself a new name. Use that. Then decide that you live at an address, even if it has been commandeered by some hooligans that think it belongs to them.

Now you're no longer lying.

Sign up.

Once you're done, change your mind and choose a new name & address & whatever for yourself.

The term & conditions are not specific enough to specify against the case I outlined above. Or at least I've never read any that are that specific.

Hey, if they can be douchewads, why can't we?

Oh... And don't sign up for an account at Outlook.com because they give the NSA access prior to encryption as well as how to decrypt emails, etc.

[4wd]

Once you're done, change your mind and choose a new name & address & whatever for yourself.

Nah, let someone else do the hard work: Fake Name Generator

[Tinman57]

There are ways to get around all this invasive silliness. My guess is that most people here already know, but, just for the sake of it, I'll run down through a few ways to help.

• Get a VPN subscription from a service that doesn't keep logs (see Torrent Freak for reviews)
• Use TOR & the TOR browser
• Get multiple email accounts
• Get Keepass to store all your email accounts & passwords (or a similar program)

You can aggregate some email addresses into 1 with forwarding, but make certain to keep them mostly isolated or grouped by purpose. Do not tie any of them to your main email account and do not put in any real information. Use all fake info. It's easier to use fake info if you choose a historical figure and enter their birth dates, etc. That just makes it easier to keep track of. Also, you can keep that as a note in Keepass.

It can be a PITA, but depending upon what you want, it may be worth it.

  VPN and Tor are great, but they also slow down your internet connection.  I can't afford to lose any more speed than what I have now....  As for Keepass, I use AIRoboForm registered....