An Example of Aristotle/Integrity Lack Of Security In Handling Data

Look "Identity theft" up on Google and you will see there are a lot people out there who just would love to get their hands on your personal data... the more confidential, the better.

Morwen.

I think commercial data miners are soulless unethical scum, but I have to say this doesn't surprise me at all. What would surprise me is if there's a similar service available from a company that's any more ethical. I don't think people realize how prevalent and common this kind of thing is. Do you use a supermarket bonus card? Or one from your drugstore? Their primary function is to mine data so they can give you targeted coupons and sell their databases to third parties. The US government has even used data from supermarket bonus card databases to try and build a profile of terrorists based on grocery shopping habits. I love hummus. I'm probably on a list at the Pentagon somwhere. The motor vehicle administrations in many states sell personal information to third parties as a source of income for the state. Do you use speedpay for tolls? A GPS service like OnStar? They know where you go, and when. For a price marketers can find out what websites you surf, what brand of deoderant you use, how much junk food you eat, and just about anything else. The day will soon come when your insurance company might deny you a claim because you eat too much junk food. Unless you live like a hermit and shun modern conveniences chances are that Aristotle isn't going to be finding anything out about you that isn't already known and available for a price.

Wrom, I'm sorry that you feel you have been mistreated. My original post was an announcement. I enabled comments but closed them after I realized that no one was posting on topic and the announcement itself didn't require open comments. That said, I understand that many of you are frustrated with the inability to post comments on the blog after the thread has been closed. I'm working on this.

I do think it's important that your feedback on particular issues is concentrated in one area so that Lindens interested in that topic can find your posts. When you post a comment in an unrelated thread, we're not likely to see your contribution. Wrom, your concerns about age verification are important. I doubt that Daniel would have seen your feedback in my entirely unrelated announcement. I'm glad so see that you are here in the forums posting, Wrom, and I will continue to read forum threads as well as direct the appropriate Lindens to threads that concern them.

"I don't get it, of all the companies that provide this sort of service why did the Lindens have to get into bed with one with this sort of shoddy record and whose main business is selling personal data?"

My wild guess is that they would do it for free. Getting your data is worth something to them, so I doubt they charge LL much for it, if at all.

No way I'm going to provide my name, address, d.o.b., and SSN to play a video game. This will be a permanent goodbye for me. Only total addicts are going to be left. I'm going to spend my summer outside and forget this stupid world that had so much potential, but like other worlds before it, got terribly mismanaged into a mess I want nothing to do with. So I'll take a few more pics ("this is what I looked like those six months I played SL", make love to my friends one more time, cash out my lindens, and pull the plug.

Lindens are on damage control about these guys, I posted some thing about them on the blog, my posts got "edited" -- not deleted -- .. Yay for censorship. I'd rather have my posts deleted than edited out to sound like how the Linden wanted it to sound.

Seriously, Lindens, how can I trust you with my personal and private information when you are all this childish.

Isn't it your policy to delete rather than edit?