Warning about hacking

[imoldernu]

A brief heads up about a situations that I don't understand.

My internet provider just sent an email that notifies me that thay are sharing all of my private information with any and all advertisers they are associated with.

An almost endless legal document that tells me that they have already done this, and that to continue with my service I must agree.

Not only that, but they also sent a multi page document that advises that they have also shared this information with all of the major TV programs so that they can send me advertising information about upcoming programs.

Each one of these programs has a multi page document that acknowledges I agree to receive these ads.

I also received a letter from my TV provider, with similar info about my private information may have been hacked.

So... contacts from the two largest internet providers in the nation.

I'm becoming paranoid, and wonder if anyone else is dealing with this.

Yes... I realize this post is not intelligible, but I wondered if anyone else received this type of information

 

[Rianne]

What company is your provider? We've been with AT&T for years and never received anything like that.

 

[COcheesehead]

I’ve never got anything like this either.

 

[Aerides]

Care to share the exact text that your ISP provided? Sounds...not entirely legal as you've characterized it here. There would at least be a period for you to opt out/cancel.

 

[GrayHare]

In the end, how does hacking differ from that approach of sharing, i.e. selling, your private information?

 

[CaliKid]

Where is the hacking? What you describe sounds pretty common. Also, I believe if you drill down in your settings in your phone and internet accounts you might be able to turn off some of that sharing of info.

 

[imoldernu]

I think I'll leave it as it is... just keep an eye out for an email from comcast/xfinity if that is your internet provider. My email was dated Apr 5.

The other... from AT+T(who is not my internet provider, but my Directv provider is more simply a warning. Copy attached.

The Comcast/Xfinity was an email directing to the almost infinite legalese multi page document with links to other legal sites. That is the one that told me they were sharing all of my information... and with links to some of the TV website legal documents that also said they were sharing. Hulu, Hallmark, and the other sites that I've put on my Fire TV.

None of those links to comcast etc. are now available to me... so I can't show you what I received.
(I misused the word hacking, I guess... ), and BTW I don't use a smartphone.

Chalk it up to senility.

 

[imoldernu]

Care to share the exact text that your ISP provided? Sounds...not entirely legal as you've characterized it here. There would at least be a period for you to opt out/cancel.

After about an hour, just reading the legalese, there was no specific way to opt out, which is why I called and spent another hour with two overseas "techs" who ended up just suggesting that I use an ad blocker on chrome. They didn't have a clue.
I wish I could send a link to the sites, but the links I tried to save don't work.

Am far too old for this.

 

[COcheesehead]

I think I'll leave it as it is... just keep an eye out for an email from comcast/xfinity if that is your internet provider. My email was dated Apr 5.

The other... from AT+T(who is not my internet provider, but my Directv provider is more simply a warning. Copy attached.

The Comcast/Xfinity was an email directing to the almost infinite legalese multi page document with links to other legal sites. That is the one that told me they were sharing all of my information... and with links to some of the TV website legal documents that also said they were sharing. Hulu, Hallmark, and the other sites that I've put on my Fire TV.

None of those links to comcast etc. are now available to me... so I can't show you what I received.
(I misused the word hacking, I guess... ), and BTW I don't use a smartphone.

Chalk it up to senility.

The AT&T letter appears to be a direct warning to you that someone has your account ID and password. That is the one I would worry about.

 

[Jerry1]

I agree, just use an ad blocker and be very judicious about unsubscribing to any unwanted emails. There’s really no getting around this stuff. No one wants to pay more fore anything so companies get their revenue however they can (sharing your information), plus, opting out isn’t really an option if it means they won’t sell you internet service. They know how to play the game.

Also, for those that get a lot of junk e-mails, try this:

Unroll.me

Type it in you browser just like that. Give them your email and watch how much it finds. You can clean up you mail box and the unenroll and you’ll get a lot less emails.

 

[imoldernu]

I found two links... not the ones I received in my personal mail,but they may help understand.

https://www.xfinity.com/privacy/providers/

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/opt-out-comcast-ads (I think this might have been the lead in)

two more... that I think links to the legalese

https://www.xfinity.com/policies

https://my.xfinity.com/privacy/#full If you can get to this one, toward the bottom of the page is a listing of precisely which data Comcast has, and what they share. (You might be surprised. )

The part that really got to me was they were declaring this to be a service, so that I could find items that they knew I had been looking at.

BTW.... also ... the OPT-OUT option that they refer to doesn't work.. another 20 minutes trying that. Plus a supposed 72 hour wait for that to happen

 

[Sunset]

I am naturally EXTREMELY suspicious of any email that claims I've been hacked.
A common hack is to get an email with disguised links that actually go to websites to force your computer to automatically download malware.

The ATT letter, looks more like a postal letter, and if they sent that to you by mail, it seems more believable and may be a genuine warning about your account being hacked, but do you even use your ATT account ?
Do they simply mean an email account , that possibly you have never used ? We have an ATT email that we never used.

As for the sharing of data, everybody is selling data these days, so if you watch any TV, from cable/dish or a streaming service like Netflix, I'm sure they all sell your data (what you watch, how much you watch, when you watch) to anyone that will buy it.

 

[COcheesehead]

I agree, just use an ad blocker and be very judicious about unsubscribing to any unwanted emails. There’s really no getting around this stuff. No one wants to pay more fore anything so companies get their revenue however they can (sharing your information), plus, opting out isn’t really an option if it means they won’t sell you internet service. They know how to play the game.

Also, for those that get a lot of junk e-mails, try this:

Unroll.me

Type it in you browser just like that. Give them your email and watch how much it finds. You can clean up you mail box and the unenroll and you’ll get a lot less emails.

Boy Unroll.me is a mess. It said I had nothing to clean up and then they gain access to your account and then send me ads. I deleted it right away.

 

[skipro33]

Simply subscribe to a VPN provider for internet access. A VPN keeps your internet activity private and secure. It stops ISPs and authorities from tracking what you do online. A VPN allows you to use public WiFi networks securely, safe from hackers. It will also unlock restricted websites/apps by making you appear in another country.

 

[imoldernu]

I made a BIGmistake in using the term hacking. It should have meant sharing personal information to advertisers.

Go back a few posts to see the link to "Privacy" ... the kind of personal information my internet provider is sharing with advertisers...