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Etsy.com reveals customers' real name and buying history

Privacy Concerned ReaderPrivacy Concerned Reader Registered User regular
edited March 2011 in Debate and/or Discourse
Etsy.com has recently made all users' real names and purchase history available on the web. They can be searched from google (I checked). They are also refusing to contact buyers to alert them to this change. They do allow names to be changed, but only with a two day waiting period. There is a thread on their forum about it herehttp://www.etsy.com/teams/7718/site-help/discuss/6811996/page/1 where they have refused to respond to serious concerns for customer privacy. Since Etsy is refusing to notify its' members, please help me get the word out to them by posting on your website/blog.

I realize this has nothing to do with games, gamers, or Penny Arcade, but I've noticed Penny Arcade fans take notice of privacy violations before, so I hope you'll forgive me for making such an off-topic post. Thank you.

Privacy Concerned Reader on
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Posts

  • JandaruJandaru New ZealandRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    What's Etsy.com?

    Jandaru on
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  • SpeakerSpeaker Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Son of a bitch.

    Speaker on
  • Caveman PawsCaveman Paws Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Jandaru wrote: »
    What's Etsy.com?

    I checked out the front page, said "Hippies," then left.

    Caveman Paws on
  • SpeakerSpeaker Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    It's a website that hooks up small scale artisans with people who buy their stuff.

    So if you are a small time guitar maker, or you make books etc.

    Speaker on
  • Caveman PawsCaveman Paws Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Speaker wrote: »
    It's a website that hooks up small scale hippies with hippies who buy their hippy stuff.

    So if you are a small time hippy, or you make hippy books etc.

    Caveman Paws on
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    A while back there was someone in AC knitting custom hats and selling them to forumers over Etsy. I got a monkey hat, there was an outstanding octopus hat, and a bunch of others.

    KalTorak on
  • SpeakerSpeaker Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Speaker wrote: »
    It's a website that hooks up small scale hippies with hippies who buy their hippy stuff.

    So if you are a small time hippy, or you make hippy books etc.

    LMAO

    Ha ha - HIPPIES

    O man. That is so priceless.

    Speaker on
  • RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    KalTorak wrote: »
    A while back there was someone in AC knitting custom hats and selling them to forumers over Etsy. I got a monkey hat, there was an outstanding octopus hat, and a bunch of others.

    This was my first thought. I'm pretty sure at least a couple of our forumers have sold stuff to other forumers through Etsy

    Ringo on
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  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Ringo wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    A while back there was someone in AC knitting custom hats and selling them to forumers over Etsy. I got a monkey hat, there was an outstanding octopus hat, and a bunch of others.

    This was my first thought. I'm pretty sure at least a couple of our forumers have sold stuff to other forumers through Etsy

    Some soldier in Afghanistan is making totally awesome monsters out of the trash he finds on patrol.

    Actually heres a link to his thing, since these things are seriously awesome.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/rupertvalero?ref=pr_shop

    Its pretty bullshit that theyre exposing seller names though.

    emp123 on
  • Privacy Concerned ReaderPrivacy Concerned Reader Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    emp123 wrote: »

    Its pretty bullshit that theyre exposing seller names though.

    Buyers as well. Anyone who's ever ordered anything is up there now.

    Privacy Concerned Reader on
  • Privacy Concerned ReaderPrivacy Concerned Reader Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    His robot gunner is fantastic. Love it.
    emp123 wrote: »
    Some soldier in Afghanistan is making totally awesome monsters out of the trash he finds on patrol.

    Actually heres a link to his thing, since these things are seriously awesome.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/rupertvalero?ref=pr_shop

    Its pretty bullshit that theyre exposing seller names though.

    Privacy Concerned Reader on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    It only shows the names if you linked your name to your account.

    My wife regularly sells things on Etsy and we were discussing this earlier.

    She doesn't care at all. Honestly I'm kind of with her. I mean, I understand why some people get super concerned with privacy stuff like this, or Facebook stuff; but no matter how hard I try to care, I just can't.

    The Dude With Herpes on
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  • Privacy Concerned ReaderPrivacy Concerned Reader Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    It only shows the names if you linked your name to your account.

    My wife regularly sells things on Etsy and we were discussing this earlier.

    She doesn't care at all. Honestly I'm kind of with her. I mean, I understand why some people get super concerned with privacy stuff like this, or Facebook stuff; but no matter how hard I try to care, I just can't.

    If people were voluntarily adding their names, I'd agree. People shoot themselves in the foot all the time. My concern is that thousands of online shoppers gave their name when it was confidential, and have not been told that's changed. I think it's wrong.

    Privacy Concerned Reader on
  • AriviaArivia I Like A Challenge Earth-1Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    this is quite a regretsy, I must say.

    Arivia on
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  • Fatty McBeardoFatty McBeardo Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    His robot gunner is fantastic. Love it.
    emp123 wrote: »
    Some soldier in Afghanistan is making totally awesome monsters out of the trash he finds on patrol.

    Actually heres a link to his thing, since these things are seriously awesome.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/rupertvalero?ref=pr_shop

    Its pretty bullshit that theyre exposing seller names though.


    I just bought the robot gunner! <3

    Fatty McBeardo on
  • The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Great, now I have to try and remember my password so I can go in and change my settings. What a dick move. Thanks for telling us, OP.

    The Cat on
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  • Privacy Concerned ReaderPrivacy Concerned Reader Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    You're welcome. Just trying to get the word out.

    Privacy Concerned Reader on
  • RMS OceanicRMS Oceanic Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    In the UK, they'd be slapped so hard by the Data Protection Act that Netscape could read the front page.

    RMS Oceanic on
  • Privacy Concerned ReaderPrivacy Concerned Reader Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    In the UK, they'd be slapped so hard by the Data Protection Act that Netscape could read the front page.

    Still could be, it's an international site with lots of buyers and sellers in the UK. Wouldn't surprise me one bit.

    Privacy Concerned Reader on
  • Caveman PawsCaveman Paws Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Oooh, steampunk robot cuff links!

    Caveman Paws on
  • DasUberEdwardDasUberEdward Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Jandaru wrote: »
    What's Etsy.com?

    I checked out the front page, said "Hippies," then left.

    Yeah kinda the vibe I got.

    I mean violations of privacy are bad but I don't know what D and or D can do.

    DasUberEdward on
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  • Edith_Bagot-DixEdith_Bagot-Dix Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Jandaru wrote: »
    What's Etsy.com?

    It is kind of like regretsy.com, except not everything is whimsical fuckery.

    Edith_Bagot-Dix on


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  • IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Man, one of my friends was just showing me all the art she has on sale on that site. I'll have to warn her. :(

    Incenjucar on
  • japanjapan Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Man there are all kinds of people selling fetish gear and such on Etsy. I can't help but think they haven't really thought through the possible consequences of this.

    Is it indexed by google? I know I'd be fucking furious if googling my name brought up a list of BDSM-related purchases.

    japan on
  • The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Oooh, steampunk robot cuff links!

    Do nerds and hippies deserve to have their business sprayed all over the internet by people who don't care for their privacy?

    The Cat on
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  • HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    So after thinking about this the one thing I can't really figure out is.. why?

    Like, how could they possibly have thought doing this was a good idea?

    HappylilElf on
  • japanjapan Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    So after thinking about this the one thing I can't really figure out is.. why?

    Like, how could they possibly have thought doing this was a good idea?

    It appears that they are trying to turn a marketplace website into a facebook clone where people buy stuff off each other.

    I know that sounds absurd, but that actually seems to be the intention.

    japan on
  • HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Hahahaha

    So basically "Hey, I have a brilliant idea! Remeber when Facebook pulled that shit with their privacy settings and there was noteable backlash in the public about it? Ok, now get this: We pull the same privacy shennanigans and we'll totally be able to become super successful like Facebook!"

    Where's the Picard facepalm .jpeg when you need it? :P

    HappylilElf on
  • sanstodosanstodo Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    japan wrote: »
    So after thinking about this the one thing I can't really figure out is.. why?

    Like, how could they possibly have thought doing this was a good idea?

    It appears that they are trying to turn a marketplace website into a facebook clone where people buy stuff off each other.

    I know that sounds absurd, but that actually seems to be the intention.

    That's idiotic. I like Etsy and have found some great stuff on it (Jeff Campana!) but a social network it is not.

    sanstodo on
  • Privacy Concerned ReaderPrivacy Concerned Reader Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Their stated reason is to, "make commerce more social." The CEO's stated he wants to make it the next big social network, and no one can seem to convince him this is a bad idea.

    And yes, it's *all* Google indexed. Fetish gear, gay porn, handblown glass dildos and bongs, plastic vagina necklaces - the works. Purchases can be made private, but they still aren't telling shoppers that they've become public in the first place.

    Privacy Concerned Reader on
  • japanjapan Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    That's what really worries me.

    I'm fairly certain there are plenty of people that will have bought something from an etsy seller that they'd rather keep private (potentially months or years ago), and never looked at the site since.

    Suddenly the fact that they bought a handmade set of leather restraints and a cock harness is google searchable and they may very well have no idea that this is the case.

    japan on
  • zeenyzeeny Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    This is......how can any company believe this is a good idea?

    zeeny on
  • SnorkSnork word Jamaica Plain, MARegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    good thing my name isn't tied to my account!

    seriously what the fuck was this asshole thinking? if your site sells SEX TOYS and DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, maybe it's not a good idea to just release all of that shit wholesale.

    Snork on
  • BigBearBigBear If your life had a face, I would punch it. Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Hey, I don't know if you guys read a lot of webcomics or not, but don't Emmy Cicierega and Jess Fink sell a lot of stuff through Etsy?

    They could be in a bit of hot water if this is true, especially Jess :(

    BigBear on
  • JHunzJHunz Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Who could have possibly decided that shopping needed to be a social network? I just don't understand. My wife closed her account, hopefully a few thousand other people do the same.

    JHunz on
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  • SnorkSnork word Jamaica Plain, MARegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    because facebook is successful so instead of actually developing their own pretty awesome concept let's just shoehorn in some social media bullshit because it's popular

    this is really disappointing, because i love etsy. i kind of want there to be a backlash so this guy realizes what a fucking retarded decision he made, but i don't want the business to suffer :<

    Snork on
  • saggiosaggio Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    saggio on
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  • Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    It amazes me how loose companies are with people's information these days.

    A close relative of mine recently got a medical marijuana card, and checked out a local dispensary. While there, she signed up for the email newsletter, to find out when the dispensary was having promotions and whatnot.

    The email she received had every single recipient, both their email and their full name, in the "to" field.

    Raiden333 on
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  • RikushixRikushix VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Speaker wrote: »
    It's a website that hooks up small scale hippies with hippies who buy their hippy stuff.

    So if you are a small time hippy, or you make hippy books etc.

    It's a great website, don't knock it.

    There's a lot of geeky stuff on there, it's not all hemp and beads.

    Rikushix on
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  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    It amazes me how loose companies are with people's information these days.

    A close relative of mine recently got a medical marijuana card, and checked out a local dispensary. While there, she signed up for the email newsletter, to find out when the dispensary was having promotions and whatnot.

    The email she received had every single recipient, both their email and their full name, in the "to" field.

    The shocking thing isn't really how loose they are with your personal information. It's how few people CARE that they are.

    Not even know. You can flat out tell people and they won't care.

    shryke on
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