As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
Options

Etsy.com reveals customers' real name and buying history

245678

Posts

  • Options
    ElldrenElldren Is a woman dammit ceterum censeoRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    zeeny wrote: »
    This is......how can any company believe this is a good idea?

    I blame facebook

    facebook must die

    Elldren on
    fuck gendered marketing
  • Options
    PhantPhant Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    shryke wrote: »
    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.

    Its probably because people don't seem to give a shit about ethical behavior much of the time, especially in this context. I mean, there websites on the internet I go to that if this happened, on the practical side of things it wouldn't bother me, its the ethical side that would make me upset.

    Phant on
  • Options
    ShivahnShivahn Unaware of her barrel shifter privilege Western coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited March 2011
    Phant wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    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.

    Its probably because people don't seem to give a shit about ethical behavior much of the time, especially in this context. I mean, there websites on the internet I go to that if this happened, on the practical side of things it wouldn't bother me, its the ethical side that would make me upset.

    This isn't a normal site, though. I mean, people sell embarrassing stuff like penis bongs and such. But what about a guy in small town making queer jewelry in a home shop? It could easily be pretty abysmal.

    Shivahn on
  • Options
    Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    So, why is this happening?

    I have never used etsy, but ti seems like this would probably be detrimental to their business model.

    Eat it You Nasty Pig. on
    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
  • Options
    PhantPhant Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Shivahn wrote: »
    Phant wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    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.

    Its probably because people don't seem to give a shit about ethical behavior much of the time, especially in this context. I mean, there websites on the internet I go to that if this happened, on the practical side of things it wouldn't bother me, its the ethical side that would make me upset.

    This isn't a normal site, though. I mean, people sell embarrassing stuff like penis bongs and such. But what about a guy in small town making queer jewelry in a home shop? It could easily be pretty abysmal.

    Yeah I get why this instance, in particular, is pretty egregious. I'm just saying people don't seem to get that and thus the 'so what' reaction these sorts of things tend to get.

    Phant on
  • Options
    PwnanObrienPwnanObrien He's right, life sucks. Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    PwnanObrien on
    Mwx884o.jpg
  • Options
    Privacy Concerned ReaderPrivacy Concerned Reader Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Oh god. I was looking for an example to give to a reporter that asked me for one, and I just found a woman who's Etsy profile comes up on Google as the 5th link. I was expecting 6 or 7 pages down, but it's on the very first page, right after her online resumes (four of 'em - so I guess she's looking for work and this cannot be helping). She signed up a year ago, under the old privacy policy, and hasn't logged in since 2010.

    And now I know what dildo she uses. Right down to the curvature and coloring.

    Privacy Concerned Reader on
  • Options
    DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    This is the goal of alot of comapnies now. Alot of them already have the backbone in place too. Think about grocery stores that have "club cards for savings". I don't want to have to sign up for a radioshack profile page when I just need to pick up some batteries real quick.(dont buy batteries from them there terrible)

    DiannaoChong on
    steam_sig.png
  • Options
    shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Oh god. I was looking for an example to give to a reporter that asked me for one, and I just found a woman who's Etsy profile comes up on Google as the 5th link. I was expecting 6 or 7 pages down, but it's on the very first page, right after her online resumes (four of 'em - so I guess she's looking for work and this cannot be helping). She signed up a year ago, under the old privacy policy, and hasn't logged in since 2010.

    And now I know what dildo she uses. Right down to the curvature and coloring.

    Yeah, but I think we wanna focus on reasons why this is bad in this thread, ok?

    shryke on
  • Options
    RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    awesome'd

    Ringo on
    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • Options
    Curly_BraceCurly_Brace Robot Girl Mimiga VillageRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    So anyone know hot to close out/disable an etsy account? Because I'm not dealing with this BS.

    EDIT: Never mind it's pretty easy to do from the settings account page. But if anyone else has an Etsy account I would delete all your address info before closing out your account.

    Curly_Brace on
  • Options
    ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I find it amusing how, up til now, everyone was worried about whether or not companies would sell all your info to advertisers, or maybe the government might be listening in.

    I don't think I've ever heard anyone anywhere suggest that a company would be so stupid as to make all their privacy info publicly available on Google, and actually do it on purpose. That's, like, a perfect storm of stupidity. You'd have to have someone smart enough to run a company like this but still stupid enough to think this is a good idea, a couple web developers who are at least willing to run with it, and I'd say a stupid enough lawyer except I doubt they even bothered to check.

    Scooter on
  • Options
    Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    facebook did that when they introduced the news feed, kind of, and then had to walk it back.

    Eat it You Nasty Pig. on
    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
  • Options
    falsedeffalsedef Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    facebook did that when they introduced the news feed, kind of, and then had to walk it back.

    They did with beacon. They did it when they changed their privacy setting's complexity too. They messed with those privacy settings so many times, and revealed info that I locked. Now I'm the only one who doesn't have an account.

    It's all hypocrisy too. Once execs of these corps get their private info posted all over the web, they start locking down public information (at least their own).

    falsedef on
  • Options
    AridholAridhol Daddliest Catch Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Wow, this is nuts. I went to a seller of glass dildo's, clicked feedback and then opened all the profiles of the users who purchased them. I found 10! real names, wtf etsy.

    Aridhol on
  • Options
    The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    my real name isn't linked to my account, but I logged in to check for shenanigans. I found their privacy settings were very simple, but auto-set to "tell everyone everything". Also, there's no delete account that I can find, just a Close Account option that you can reactivate at will, so it seems like even a boycott wouldn't help all that much.

    The Cat on
    tmsig.jpg
  • Options
    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    You can change your account info to Jane/John Doe, right?

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • Options
    Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Yeah but they have to approve it. So now we play the waiting game.

    Mojo_Jojo on
    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • Options
    The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Also, while its totally not cool that Etsy have done this, a quick browse of Regretsy.com makes you wonder if someone in the office just couldn't stand a certain segment of their customer base anymore.

    The Cat on
    tmsig.jpg
  • Options
    TaminTamin Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    huh

    well, luckily I've only ever been tempted into purchasing off of etsy, and never bought anything.

    sucks, though. I'll have to let my friend's wife know (assuming she doesn't already) - she's big into etsy.

    Tamin on
  • Options
    metrometrometrometro Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I'm etsy shopper and frequent etsy lurker. I've bought some reasonably big ticket jewelry items there as gifts.

    Why should we care? Because selling someone gay books, and then PUBLISHING THE CUSTOMERS NAME will get your customers fired, harassed and hurt. It will make something fun -- shopping for weird stuff -- into something that can hurt you.

    I'll never buy from them again. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

    metrometro on
  • Options
    LadyMLadyM Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    JESUS, didn't we just go through this with Blizzard? Here we go agaaaain.

    Dear Etsy, Blizzard, and other companies:

    No one goes on you because they want something like Facebook. They go on FACEBOOK when they want something like Facebook, you fucking morons.

    Excuse me while I now change my first name field to "Fuck Off" and my last name to "And Die."

    Sincerely,

    Fuck Off And Die

    LadyM on
  • Options
    durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    For fuck's sake, online absolutely everything: stop trying to somehow make my life (well probably your life) more convenient by tying all my shit to my real name. I don't even want anyone I know to know what I buy when and where. Not every person who knows my name is my best pal, and none of them are in charge of what I buy. That's a need to know thing.

    Basically gonna have to stop buying so many artisan glass dildos.

    durandal4532 on
    Take a moment to donate what you can to Critical Resistance and Black Lives Matter.
  • Options
    Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I can't wait until the inevitable suit over someone getting fired/harassed/murdered/what-have-you over this.

    Good job, guys!

    Magus` on
  • Options
    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I think I'm going to register an account with the name Tom Cruise and buy a bunch of Catholic merch.
    Lets see what happens!

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • Options
    Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I think I'm going to register an account with the name Tom Cruise and buy a bunch of Catholic anal dildos.
    Lets see what happens!

    Magus` on
  • Options
    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    The Baby Jesus butt plug!
    The Diving Nun!

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • Options
    AriviaArivia I Like A Challenge Earth-1Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I saw a woman with a homemade Snuggli for her dog on earlier. I wonder if I should have stopped her and told her about this.

    Arivia on
    huntresssig.jpg
  • Options
    metrometrometrometro Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I just tried to lock down my etsy account, and there's no way to change or remove a) username and b) purchase history. Because my username is the same as other forums/sites (because who would ever see it? I naively thought), this is unfixable under any offered options.

    And of course, the default was to leave everything on, and no notification has been given to their users. Nothing on the etsy blog, despite that there's news stories popping up. Epic PR job.

    #etsyfail

    metrometro on
  • Options
    japanjapan Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    What jurisdiction does Etsy operate in?

    Is there any right under the relevant laws to force them to delete information that they hold? You can do so in the UK.

    japan on
  • Options
    RikushixRikushix VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    So tactless moves aside, I thought this didn't affect me because I've never put my name in my profile.

    But no, you can search by username. This is actually a little frightening.

    Rikushix on
    StKbT.jpg
  • Options
    metrometrometrometro Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I found most of my family in the people search, including several without a real name on the account. You can search by email address. Fortunately for me, none of them are, say, this nice lady:

    http://www.etsy.com/people/vanessakaleidoscope/feedback?type=for_others

    Note how she lied in the feedback to hide what she was buying. Oh well. Posted not to further victimize, but to point out that this is very much not abstract concerns. Happy browsing, pervs.

    metrometro on
  • Options
    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Found an XXL glass dildo with veins and swirled gold coloring (beautiful piece really) and checked to see if anyone favorited it. Someone did. She also favorited some cosplay cat eat hats and a bell collar/necklace thing. Then I found her on Facebook.
    All starting from a veiny dildo.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • Options
    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    How do you search by username or email?

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • Options
    IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Found an XXL glass dildo with veins and swirled gold coloring (beautiful piece really) and checked to see if anyone favorited it. Someone did. She also favorited some cosplay cat eat hats and a bell collar/necklace thing. Then I found her on Facebook.
    All starting from a veiny dildo.

    Invite us to the wedding yeah?

    Incenjucar on
  • Options
    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Incenjucar wrote: »
    Found an XXL glass dildo with veins and swirled gold coloring (beautiful piece really) and checked to see if anyone favorited it. Someone did. She also favorited some cosplay cat eat hats and a bell collar/necklace thing. Then I found her on Facebook.
    All starting from a veiny dildo.

    Invite us to the wedding yeah?

    There was already a wedding cake favorited, so it would be pretty easy to plan.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • Options
    PwnanObrienPwnanObrien He's right, life sucks. Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Arivia wrote: »
    I saw a woman with a homemade Snuggli for her dog on earlier. I wonder if I should have stopped her.

    fixed.

    PwnanObrien on
    Mwx884o.jpg
  • Options
    KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Science cannot move forward without veiny dildoes.

    KalTorak on
  • Options
    RikushixRikushix VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    So does anyone know how electronic privacy laws work as far as jurisdiction is concerned? Etsy is New York based. What they're doing is clearly suspect under Canadian law (PIPEDA) and may be worthy of an investigation. But I don't know how applicable that is to American organizations.

    I'm strongly considering sending a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner.

    Rikushix on
    StKbT.jpg
  • Options
    emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Holy shit, Etsy may be greater than I thought, privacy issues aside:

    http://www.etsy.com/transaction/41894377

    Yes, thats an Easter Island dildo/butt plug.

    emp123 on
Sign In or Register to comment.