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From: shafer@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer -- OFDD)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk,alt.privacy,alt.censorship
Subject: Re: Prodigy charged with invading users' privacy (was Re: Lifestyle Information ( was Re: Safeway Stores to Accept Charge)
Message-ID: <1991May1.224418.8409@riacs.edu>
Date: 1 May 91 22:44:18 GMT
References: <1991Apr30.184714.4675@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> <1991Apr30.185752.4913@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> <57M001546bv800@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com>
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In article <57M001546bv800@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> esf00@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com (Elliott S. Frank) writes:

>>     The danger is Prodigy is uploading STAGE.DAT and taking a look at
>>your private business. Why? My guess is marketing research, which is
>>expensive through legitimate channels, and unwelcomed by you and I.
>>The question now is: Is it on purpose, or a mistake?

>I was concerned about what the Prodigy software would do back when
>it first came out. If you read the shrinkwrap license agreement, by
>signing onto Prodigy (and therefore agreeing to the terms and
>conditions under which they offer the service), you will find
>(paraphrased -- I don't have the text of the agreement in front of me)
>that you *have* agreed to allow them to upload *anything that they
>want* off your system. If the contents of STAGE.DAT are random
>and ignored at this point in time, you have still agreed that
>*whatever* they can find on your system can be uploaded and used for
>any purpose they desire.
>
>[I would hope that someone could find their "little yellow box" and
>post the text in question -- it would add signal to the signal-to-
>noise ratio surrounding this issue.]

I just got out my little yellos box.  The actual software package 
says "By opening this container you agree that this PRODIGY software
is licensed sloely for use in accessing the PRODIGY service, and may
be used or copied solely as instructed for such use.  Copying or use
for any other purpose is prohibited by law."

I also has an 11-page PRODIGY Service Member Agreement, which I am not
going to key in.  The only relevant thing I can find is "7.
Information Supplied by Prodigy by Members" which says that
personalization is valuable and is based on data provided by the
Member to Prodigy, data derived from the Member's use of the PRODIGY
service, and from the Members responses to Prodigy's questions and
surveys.  Mambers may review.... Prodigy may disclose aggregate (not
individually identifiable information regarding Members for any
purpose.  Individually identifiable data will be used or disclosed by
Prodigy only: (1) to personalize the PRODIGY service; (2) as necessary
to provide any information, services, or merchandise ..., for billing
...; (3) to make Memeber aware of new areas and features ...; (4) to
protect the security of PRODIGY or to protect the rights or property
of Prodigy or its Members or Merchants; (5) as require by Law; or (6)
in any other manner consistant with this Agreement."

"Information regarding a Member's financial holdings, medical history,
and credit card number(s), which may be requested in certain
specialized areas ..., shall be used or disclosed only for the
purposes for which such information is collected, or as required by
law.  Members' addresses, phone numbers and other relevant information
will be provided to Merchants along with orders placed by Members."

Nothing about uploading from your disk.  They can look at your inputs
but they can't rummage through your disk.

--
Mary Shafer  shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov  ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer
           NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
                     Of course I don't speak for NASA
            "Turn to kill, not to engage."  CDR Willie Driscoll