Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Objects to Customer Information Being Included in Sale of RadioShack Assets
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
My answer is always 867-5309, whenever a business asks for no good reason. The younger clerks now often don't bat an eye.Why, if you wanted the merchandise?
Simple answer:
Area code -359-2680 or pick any number.
He's not gonna call you right then. (BTW: You would not be home
My take is that they have no right to your info, so anything you give is fine
Probably nothing. The court could simply say, tough luck, RS can sell those assets to pay off debts. They would not violate the agreement since the court has deemed it no longer in force.
Something tells me that there's more to this data than simple names and addresses of customers.
If Apple and others are involved in trying to block aspects of the sale, then the data is more likely tied to other information. Perhaps I'm wrong.
If Apple and others are involved in trying to block aspects of the sale, then the data is more likely tied to other information. Perhaps I'm wrong.
I will always remember Marc Maron's bit on Dr. Katz in the 90's:
"Why do they want your name at Radio Shack, "I'm buying batteries!"
It was all a long con to sell all their customer's personal information when the poo hit the fan.
Them asking for phone numbers and addresses when anyone bought anything was why I stopped going there years ago. I think I was 16 the last time I went and I thought it was ridiculous they were asking a minor for that info for some watch batteries.
"Why do they want your name at Radio Shack, "I'm buying batteries!"
It was all a long con to sell all their customer's personal information when the poo hit the fan.
Them asking for phone numbers and addresses when anyone bought anything was why I stopped going there years ago. I think I was 16 the last time I went and I thought it was ridiculous they were asking a minor for that info for some watch batteries.
The personal info in question here is reportedly what helped RS stay in business as long as they did because they sold that information to help make up for lagging sales.
Best Buy asks for the same crap. In fact, last time I was at the Apple Store, they also asked.
Best Buy asks for the same crap. In fact, last time I was at the Apple Store, they also asked.
Mrs. thequick always used 867-5309. She says her name is Jenny.Area code -359-2680 or pick any number.
He's not gonna call you right then. (BTW: You would not be home
My take is that they have no right to your info, so anything you give is fine
I'm sure this will be discussed in tomorrow's This Week in Law podcast. They've included the topic in their public list of discussion points for the show. Listen live or download the podcast laster that day.
OTOH, I don't think anyone associated the show is earning megabucks. They're just normal passionate people who like the law.
My answer is always 867-5309, whenever a business asks for no good reason. The younger clerks now often don't bat an eye.
I got it, I got it, I got it!
I got your number on the wall!
I got it, I got it, I got it!
Don't change your number.
LOL
Just keep in mind you could be really impacting some poor innocent persons life doing that. My wife still to this day gets calls from a ton of random car dealers from some jerk giving them a different phone number. All because she was unlucky enough to end up with 9999 as her last 4 digits. It was really bad when she used to work nights and had to sleep during the day. Do Not Disturb has helped a lot but it still a huge PITA due to some random jerk not thinking how his actions could affect others.
lol @ everyone going to the trouble of giving RadioShack false info. When I worked there, associates were trained to ask once and not to argue if the customer declined. The only time we "had" to put your info in is if you were paying by check, and it's usually on your check anyway.
Radioshack tenatively sold for $26.2 million. Apple makes $133 profit per day. If it came to it, and Apple really cared about privacy, they could just buy radioshack, strip the data, give it back to the hedge fund, and still make a profit.
Or they could just buy the data themselves. This is less than pocket change. Might be worth the PR.
The users agreed to RS but does that mean they agree with this other company having access to their information when they didn't authorize it for anyone other than RS.
OMG THEY GOT MY ZIPCODE!!!!!!
You may be laughing, but please take a look at this article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamtan...easons-not-to-give-stores-your-zip-code-ever/
Glassed Silver:mac
It changed over the years as people got more sensitive about it.
Say in the 80s/90s they were insisting more.
One guy at least said : If we have you address and phone number we can call you if you forget your credit card.
By now with identity theft info and reports etc. more people are with it.
What I find interesting is that AT&T has already settled this issue with Radio Shack (which suggests that AT&T raised its objections quite some time ago), and the state of Texas filed back in March, yet Apple only filed its motion a few days ago.
I have zero understanding of the legal process involved, so what appears to me to be a last-minute attempt by Apple might actually be SOP. But, to me anyway, it does looks a bit odd.
Maybe one or more of the lawyers who are members of MacRumors could explain it to me.
I have zero understanding of the legal process involved, so what appears to me to be a last-minute attempt by Apple might actually be SOP. But, to me anyway, it does looks a bit odd.
Maybe one or more of the lawyers who are members of MacRumors could explain it to me.
But this is exactly the contentious. The data will remain with the same entity-- RadioShack--it's just a change of owner hands. It's not like RS is selling the data.
Anyhow, like many other I always simply decline to give my info.
Agreed
I have given many false addresses and phone numbers when companies "require" me to provide information they have not legitimate right to demand from customers. If more people did the same, stores would eventually quit "demanding" this information from customers because all the junk data on their list dilutes the value of the real data. It would be better to get real data from 40% of your customers who give it up willingly than to collect 60% false data from all of your customers because you made them give you something.
I have given many false addresses and phone numbers when companies "require" me to provide information they have not legitimate right to demand from customers. If more people did the same, stores would eventually quit "demanding" this information from customers because all the junk data on their list dilutes the value of the real data. It would be better to get real data from 40% of your customers who give it up willingly than to collect 60% false data from all of your customers because you made them give you something.
I use the privacy tools from abine.com to protect my credit card, email address, and cell phone number. I use them regularly to minimize my "data leakage" and protect my privacy as best I can from all the "Little Brothers" in corporate America.
----------
Once data is given away, you have lost ALL control over it. Do most people care that someone new knows what they bought from RS 15 years ago? Probably not. But what if it was a pharmacy or a video rental store? It is the exact same issue but I am guessing a lot more people would care about who is buying their data and what will be done with it.
Agreed. Do you really want other people knowing you failed to rewind Four Weddings and a Funeral?
How else are they to know whether to continue sending their ads to customers who will likely be returning customers?
Gerber Life, Globe Life AT&T / Uverse and many others should take a hint and save their customers a bunch of money by not spending it on all that junk mail that is not free ... and won't ever provide them with a customer.
You did NOT have to provide them with your SSN, did you?