We all are aware (or should be!) that all our moves on the Internet can be (and often are) being tracked. But the news item below adds an extra explicit layer of detail. For those that don’t know, Experian is one of the 3 or 4 major credit rating agencies. That means that the same folks that track everything about your credit, finances (and who knows what else) are also directly correlating it with every MyPoints link that you follow. That’s worth thinking about.

And although I haven’t taken a look at it, I’ll bet that MyPoints privacy policy is that they won’t shared personal private information with “outside” parties - of course as part owner, Experian slips through that loophole.


MyPoints.com and Experian.
Drug Store News - Oct 25,1999
SAN FRANCISCO -- MyPoints.com and Experian, a unit of Great Universal Stores in London, have strengthened their strategic alliance. Using proceeds from its recent initial public offering, MyPoints.com has completed its acquisition of Experian's Internet loyalty technology. Experian is MyPoints.com's single largest shareholder. The acquisition gives the two companies a common platform to work from as MyPoints.com builds a vast and deep database on Internet shoppers and uses Experian's services to enhance and validate the profiles in it.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Lebhar-Friedman, Inc.

Interesting point(s). The issue of cookies, ads, tracking etc has been raised previously by Counsellor, I think. In a related vain,
Reuters carried a story earlier today.

Privacy advocates, consumers and academics raised concerns that the merger of Internet giant America Online and media titan Time Warner raises the specter of an Orwellian society.

The companies dismissed images of a ``Big Brother'' controlling every aspect of people's lives -- as George Orwell envisaged it in his novel ``1984'' -- insisting the $164 billion merger, including $17 billion in debt, was really aimed at making the world better by fighting social ills.

``This is not just about big business. This is not just about money,'' says Gerald Levin, the Time Warner chairman who will be chief executive of the new linkup. ``This is about making a better world for people because we now have the technology and the instruments to do that,'' he said in early morning TV appearances.

With the deal, America Online, whose 22 million subscribers use telephone lines to go online, will gain access to Time Warner's cable television systems with faster and better quality connections. AOL can offer speedier Internet service plus the wide range of Time Warner's content, like CNN or HBO and Warner Bros. movies.

Yet Internet services can already monitor what users watch or read or what they order online and many people see the latest business marriage as one more step toward Orwell's nightmare vision of a totalitarian world. They saw in Levin's altruism, the cynical ``doublespeak'' of Orwell's future.

``If you look at it from the perspective of Orwell, it's scary,'' said Gary Klatsky, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Oswego State University in New York. ``But you can look at it from the other perspective that it will make life easier. For example, I can use the Internet to find a book to read. It's like having a friend giving advice.

``We're just scratching the surface. With new technology, the tools are there, but we don't know how they can be used,'' said Klatsky, who teaches a class on ``Human-Computer Interface.''

Dean Alger, a writer and political scientist, sees a danger of a few powerful media companies monopolizing the flow of information.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/busin...ewarner-o.html

And in our digital age, the potential for distorting reality/information is nearly limitless, as reflected in even current mainstaim news:
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/new...s-digital.html

And, in this same, distantly related vein, am I the only one who wonders at the irony of the US Government urging the breakup of Microsoft, while AOL merges with TW and rumours fly about a possible Disney & Yahoo hookup as well- along with other speculated megamergers? It's a wild world!

[This message has been edited by doc (edited 01-12-2000).]

[This message has been edited by doc (edited 01-12-2000).]

I think that MileageAddict gave some good advice about not buying through MyPoints, i.e. only use the free offers.

Myself, I think that the AOL-TimeWarner deal is more hype than reality (nor is it any Orwellian scenario). Most of these so called synergies never materialize.

PG

I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand. I don't remember the exact discussion where Mileage Addict advised us not to buy through Mypoints (can someone post the URL?). I have recently used a couple of Mypoints links (more.com & buy.com) and on buy.com I found a really great deal on computer equipment. I will probably be using them again even without the (small) point incentive. What is the exact risk in purchasing from companies associated w/Mypoints? I know they don't have the best customer service, but am I actually doing something foolish or dangerous by giving them my crdit card #?

PG, now your post has me worried...

honu

honu - I am sorry you took me too literally. It is a pain to get any points through MyPoints purchases, I have myself never received a single point bonus for a purchase automatically. The points do not post, eventually I send an email to MyPoints, who ask me to send them the email from the merchant. It takes forever. Other discounts like the buy.com discount are available even without going through MyPoints.

But if you have had a good experience with them, disregard my comments.

[This message has been edited by PG (edited 01-11-2000).]

I never advised not to make purchases through MyPoints. I stated a while ago that I saw too many participants of the MyPoints program have to contact customer service in order to get their points earned through making a purchase. My statement was that I use MyPoints simply for the free point opportunities and still manage to rack up close to 20,000 points a year.

As far as making purchases online, I never set foot in a single store over the holiday season and pointed and clicked my way to Santa's sleigh!

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Addicted to airline miles? Check out: The Airline Mileage Workshop

Oops,

sorry for the misunderstanding! I too find Mypoint's customer service somewhat lacking.
Ditto PG and Mileage Addict, I too had to email my more.com info, and the points have not posted yet. Buy.com, however, was very fast (but only offers 300 points). Overall, I won't buy something just for the points (I admire Pudding Guy, but I don't have that kind of dedication), but only if it already seems like a good deal.

Mileage runs, now, that's a different story...

honu