Google Now Tracks Your Credit Card Purchases and Connects Them to Its Online Profile

[Powerogue]

Theoretically positive in how it effects peoples lives, as you'll start getting ads that you actually give a damn about, but I agree, disturbingly intrusive.

[I Push Buttons]

More concerned about them holding my medical data.

That's illegal unless you gave it to them yourself or gave the establishments that have your medical records express permission to give it to them.

Under HIPAA they can't even give your protected health information to your family or even to other medical entities treating you with express permission.

The only entities that can obtain it without your permission are law enforcement agencies, and only with a warrant.

EDIT: Assuming you are in the US.

[Spiffums]

These companies should take a good look at themselves. They make a huge profit off peoples back but refuse to take any responsibility for their products and the massive amounts of racist non-sense and bullshit being plastered all over their products. The only reason they can make so much money is because they do not take the responsibility to run their platforms properly, because that would cost to much.

When they start censoring stuff "you don't like" they start losing money.

[Gemini Soul]

So they collect data somehow its "private" but they use that data to show us specific ads, how do they know to show X ad instead of Y ad to person Z with out keeping some kind of record on person Z to know they should be shown X ad. The whole line about privacy is bullshit, they have to know what to send to who even if its some long alpha/numeric number as an ID the data associated with that is stored and they can easily track the IP of that when they are sent custom ad's.

There is no way this system can protect privacy, not when its designed to track, collect, and transmit data to specific users. Customer#Alpha12345 likes bacon and buys lots of it, hey look they were just sent an ad to IP 123.123.123 i wonder who they are...lets track that IP....hey looks Customer#Alpha12345 is actually John Smith from accounting!

[Endus]

How the hell is it legal for companies to sell credit card purchase history data to other companies?

Because A> it's their information, and B> the credit card companies sell this information themselves, and always have.

[Puupi]

Because A> it's their information, and B> the credit card companies sell this information themselves, and always have.

I didn't know it was legal to spread full credit card numbers around.

I mean, isn't that the reason why you can't see the full credit card number even on the receipts?

[Lady Dragonheart]

I honestly don't care too much about privacy, really. We're in an age where everything you do is monitored, traceable, and archived. So, it doesn't matter to me when considering the inevitability.

[Endus]

I didn't know it was legal to spread full credit card numbers around.

I mean, isn't that the reason why you can't see the full credit card number even on the receipts?

Not really, no. It's something done to provide customers with additional security, but it's not illegal. They're required to truncate them on electronic receipts, but if you're old enough (like me) to remember the days before digital transactions, when cards were processed by using carbon paper imprinting, the full number was always visible on those. And it's not remotely illegal for the company to use your credit card number internally; they NEED to be able to know it and use it, to process and justify the purchase you made.

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/busi...esses-truncate

Several details of the law are worth noting: It applies only to electronically printed receipts, not to handwritten or imprinted ones. And it applies only to receipts you give your customer at point of sale, not to any transaction record you retain.

Straight from the FTC's mouth.

[Ghostpanther]

People say get used to it like they say get used to terrorist attacks...how about big NO!!!
Don't use google, chrome, use vpn and extensions that protect your privacy.

I do not use Google and use Firefox as a browser.

[Usagi Senshi]

Oh noes, they'll know about my furry porn, cat food, Diet Mountain Dew, magical girl manga, Corn Nuts, and buttplugs!

[Stacyrect]

stop using google. Use duckduckgo

[Torto]

Oh noes, they'll know about my furry porn, cat food, Diet Mountain Dew, magical girl manga, Corn Nuts, and buttplugs!

The other day I used google to search for a new office chair. Now every website I go to has office furniture ads plastered all over it. I'm very wary about what I use google to search for now.

[Tommi]

if you're old enough (like me) to remember the days before digital transactions, when cards were processed by using carbon paper imprinting, the full number was always visible on those.

Oh god, I remember those! I remember one day our payment systems went down for cards and we had to use them. Was funny seeing people having no idea wtf to do with them.

[Kellhound]

Hence why I pay cash for sensitive purchases and salt my internet searches.

[helebelemon]

Eh, your purchases have been tracked, aggregated, and profiled for almost half a century now. Excuse me as I don't run and scream in hysteria so many decades later.

[Puupi]

And it's not remotely illegal for the company to use your credit card number internally; they NEED to be able to know it and use it, to process and justify the purchase you made.

Yes, of course it's legal to use the number internally. But selling/giving out those numbers to third parties....?

Many companies know your social security number, too. (at least here). I'm faaaaaaairly sure they are not allowed to give out that information further.

[Endus]

Yes, of course it's legal to use the number internally. But selling/giving out those numbers to third parties....?

Just went and checked my bank's service agreement for credit cards; it clearly and explicitly states that they will collect personal information and are free to use it internally, to provide it to service providers (meaning any company they're partnering with to provide an offer to customers), and any subsidiary of my bank.

Your credit card number isn't privileged information, the way you think. The rules about receipts are so that your credit card number isn't readily visible on something you're likely to lose/throw away. The aim, there, is to prevent fraudulent purchasing, and that's pretty much it.

Also, this is kind of a derail, since nothing in the article suggests they're giving credit card numbers directly. They're giving purchase history data, which Google's connected to offline behaviour.

Many companies know your social security number, too. (at least here). I'm faaaaaaairly sure they are not allowed to give out that information further.

Completely different piece of information, and completely different rules apply.

[nomorepriest]

They must be doing something right if they are the power house they are..
Please let me know when you are making billions in profits.

These companies should take a good look at themselves. They make a huge profit off peoples back but refuse to take any responsibility for their products and the massive amounts of racist non-sense and bullshit being plastered all over their products. The only reason they can make so much money is because they do not take the responsibility to run their platforms properly, because that would cost to much.

[Deleted]

Time to start making all purchases with cash.
And buy a phone with no GPS and internet capabilities.

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They must be doing something right if they are the power house they are..
Please let me know when you are making billions in profits.

Drug lords and mafia overlords are also making billions in profits.

[nomorepriest]

You are not seeing the difference between being successful in business and your ethics/morals...

Time to start making all purchases with cash.
And buy a phone with no GPS and internet capabilities.

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Drug lords and mafia overlords are also making billions in profits.