World Privacy Forum's Top Ten Opt Outs

[honeybadger]

"As privacy experts, we are frequently asked about "opting out", and which opt outs we think are the most important. This list is a distillation of ideas for opting out that the World Privacy Forum has developed over the years from responding to those questions. The list below does not contain all opt outs that are available. Rather, it contains the opt outs that we believe are the most important and will be the most useful to the most consumers.

Many people have told us that they think opting out is confusing. We agree. Opting out can range from the not-too-difficult (the FTC’s Do Not Call list is a fairly simple opt out) to the challenging (the National Advertising Initiative opt out can be tricky). Our hope is that this list will clarify which opt out does what, and how to go about opting out."

http://www.worldprivacyforum.org/toptenoptout.html

[honeybadger]

I hate spam...hope this helps!

[tomkat]

World Privacy Forum's Top Ten Opt Outs

hope this helps

[metmom]

I signed up for the Do Not Call registry and it cut our phones calls down to next to nothing.

Then I read this article and we opted out of credit card offers and our junk mail went way down, too.

EVEN TORN-UP CREDIT CARD APPLICATIONS AREN’T SAFE
http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/03/what_if_a_despe.html

[metmom]

Do you guys still do your general interest and misc ping lists?

Would this qualify?

[Slings and Arrows]

Do Not Call has been a blessing.

[metmom]

Optout Prescreen has, too. Not only do we not get credit card offers, nobody can steal them and apply for a card in our name and screw up our credit card history.

[Slings and Arrows]

Definitely something to think about - even though my credit card offers go in the same garbage bags as the used kitty litter. :^)

[metmom]

One would think that would discourage someone from stealing an application, but I have been amazed at what people will do for money.

Besides, who needs the extra trash? And think about all the trees you’re saving. The amount of waste generated by junk mail boggles the mind.

I’d be happy not having to waste time throwing out something I don’t want and didn’t ask for in the first place.

[Daffynition]

Good heavens! I hope you shred them first! Aren’t your name and address printed all over them, sometimes in several places?

[ShadowAce]

[antiRepublicrat]

EVEN TORN-UP CREDIT CARD APPLICATIONS AREN’T SAFE http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/03/what_if_a_despe.html

We go through our incoming mail at the secretary near the front door. There's a crosscut shredder right next to the secretary, and it has no problem chewing up those credit card offers.

[Titan Magroyne]

Thanks, that’s a good site.

One thing I want to point out. I keep my home phone number unlisted and nonpublished, refusing to give it out even to my health care provider, which is an HMO these days. Naturally I’ve never given it to my credit card companies, who are the worst offenders for marketing.

Problem is, opting out of pre-screened credit/insurance offers gave them a phone number connected with my name. (Creditors occasionally monitor the credit reports of current customers, too.) I changed my number after the first call from those jerks, and consider it a lesson learned.

Also, never contact a business via a toll free number unless you’re content for them to know the number you’re calling from. Because they pay for the call, they can bypass Caller ID Block to see where you’re calling from.

Finally, one would think that if you specified to your phone company that you want your number unlisted/nonpubbed, they would take the hint. Well ... no. You also have to tell *them* to put you on their Don’t Call list, or they will telemarket you themselves.

Thankya for the opportunity to unload, Slings. Worked nights for many years, would happily kill a telemarketer on sight! (I’ll throw in a spammer for free, too.)

Oh, and most FReepers already know about this one, but people who fill out those printed surveys about household products use should be informed that the data collection agency that collates the information often contracts with prisons for the data entry. In other words, you could be supplying a convict with information on your most intimate details. And store brand discount cards, if you must fill out a form before receiving the card, also allow for collection of your shopping info. Some peeps don’t seem to mind if it results in customised sales offers, but I don’t like someone aggregating the details of my buying info.

[Slings and Arrows]

Thankya for the opportunity to unload, Slings. Worked nights for many years, would happily kill a telemarketer on sight! (I’ll throw in a spammer for free, too.)

Noooo! Torture them first!

[Titan Magroyne]

Well I didn't say I'd do it quickly!

Oh, that reminds me. Lemme see if I can send you a file off this CD I have ...

[Titan Magroyne]

OK, check your Yahoo. I promised you this one a long time ago, methinks. I’m such a technotard.

[Slings and Arrows]

Looks like your company’s e-mail manager stripped the attachment. Fate is cruel to us.

[Titan Magroyne]

Son ovva-! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr Sorry. I can receive about any sort of file, but outgoing is a matter of standards known only to IT.

I’ll try uploading it to my Hotmail and sending from there, but it’ll have to wait til tomorrow.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Saw your post while here....here’s a workable site for file sharing and three great freeware files I uploaded for screenshots, picture resizing, etc....

http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/NDgyMA==

http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/NDgxOA==

http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/NDgxOQ==

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

ping