Category Archives: *Opt-IN vs Opt-OUT

AT&T revises the process for Mobile Device Opt-Out of Data Sharing Reply

*Opt-IN vs Opt-OUT, *Vanessa Kaster, *Website: Privacy Policy

Many of you may already know that AT&T has made changes to their Privacy Policy to allow them to share more of your personal data (gathered on each of your devices) with advertisers and external marketing folks. (I posted a blog about this in July <click here to read it>).

This is a FOLLOW UP post regarding changes that AT&T has made to the Opt-Out process to simplify it and iron out the kinks.  AT&T has acknowledged that some of its customers (including me and maybe you too) had difficulty completing the Opt-Out process on their mobile devices and as a consequence AT&T has revised the process for Opting-Out on a mobile device.

Here are the new revised instructions that were emailed out by AT&T:

  • From your AT&T mobile device you want to opt out, go to adworks.att.com/mobileoptout
  • Make sure you are on the AT&T wireless network, and not on any Wi-Fi
  • Choose the blue Opt-Out button. You should receive the following message: “Thank you. This device will not be receiving AT&T AdWorks Relevant Advertising”

I just went through these steps on my iPhone and received the promised confirmation message.  Simplifying this Opt-Out process and providing a confirmation message was a good move.  All AT&T customers should have received an email from AT&T giving notice of this revised Opt-Out process for mobile devices.  (THANKS to all of you who contacted AT&T to let them know that you were having difficulty with the initial Opt-Out process.  I have a hunch that this new revised Opt-Out was launched in response to the feedback we all provided).

BY: Vanessa Kaster, Esq., LL.M.

vk@kasterlegal.com

For more information on privacy policies see: http://wp.me/p10nNq-tf; http://wp.me/p10nNq-bL; http://wp.me/p10nNq-ni; and for more information on Opt-Out policies see: http://wp.me/p10nNq-6j ; @iplegalfreebies and www.kasterlegal.com.

Opt-Out or AT&T will share more of your data via their Privacy Policy changes 21

*Opt-IN vs Opt-OUT, *Vanessa Kaster, *Website: Privacy Policy

AT&T has made changes to their Privacy Policy to allow them to share more of your personal data (gathered on each of your devices) with advertisers and external marketing folks. Perhaps I’m a digital prude… but I have chosen to “Opt-Out” of sharing my data with advertisers and marketers. The good news is that AT&T has an Opt-Out provision (this is a legal requirement in the US)… the less than optimal news is that the Opt-Out isn’t straight forward.

THE OPT-OUT SCOOP: For a complete Opt-Out of AT&T’s new personal data share programs, you must click to Opt-Out of both programs (via two different links) on each of your devices. For me, this meant that I needed to clink the links on my laptop and also on my iPhone. (If you have an iPad you must also clink the links on this devise also to complete the Opt-Out). Clicking the links on my laptop and checking each of the Opt-Out boxes was simple enough. Although, I had to call customer service to complete the Opt-Outs for my phone… and will likely call back for confirmation of a successful Opt-Out from my iPhone.

Here are AT&T’s Opt-Out links:

All AT&T customers should have received an email from AT&T giving notice of these privacy policy changes and providing the Opt-Out links. My guess is that most folks may have overlooked the email… and even if folks saw the email…. they may not have noticed the multiple steps required for a complete Opt-Out.

Feel free to forward this blog post to your friends and family. I’m forwarding it to my mom.

(And if I can pass a message onto AT&T… come on, make this simpler. The error message that I received while trying to Opt-Out on my iPhone stated that I could NOT Opt-Out because I was “using a Wi-Fi connection and not an AT&T network”….???? Am I supposed to leave work and walk around the block so that I can click on the links without being on WiFi? Even turning off the WiFi on my iPhone resulted in the same error message… which is why I called customer service and will have to call back because I have not received a confirmation message).

BY: Vanessa Kaster, Esq., LL.M.

For personalized legal services you are welcome to contact me at vk@kasterlegal.com.

For more information on privacy policies see: http://wp.me/p10nNq-tf; http://wp.me/p10nNq-bL; http://wp.me/p10nNq-ni; @iplegalfreebies and for more information on Opt-Out policies see: http://wp.me/p10nNq-6j

Opt-in vs. Opt-out: US Court Rejects Google’s Digitized Books Deal 4

*Opt-IN vs Opt-OUT, *Opt-out: Google Books, *Vanessa Kaster

For several years, Google has been working to scan millions of printed books and make them widely available in an epic, digital library.   This ambitious undertaking hit a setback this week when the US Court of Appeals rejected ‘the deal’ that Google negotiated with authors and publishers to actualize this plan.   A critical issue in the court’s rejection was that the agreement reached with authors and publishers was an ‘opt-out’ vs. an ‘opt-in’ deal.  This means that folks would have to proactively ‘opt-out’ of being included in Google’s digital library, rather than ‘opting-in’ to the library.  This decision is in line with standard licensing deals and contracts, where a signature (which is an official ‘opt-in’) is required to enter a binding agreement regarding the use of copyrighted works.

Why is Google pushing for the ‘opt-out’ deal instead of the ‘opt-in’?  For the obvious reason that more books will be included in the digital library if the automatic default is inclusion.  Additionally, an ‘opt-out’ deal would automatically include millions of books that are currently under copyright protection, but whose authors are unknown or can’t be found (these types of works are known as ‘orphan works’).

What will happen next?  It is possible that a substantially revised agreement could keep this ambitious digital project moving forward.  However, for now, the deal has been rejected for several reasons… including violation of copyright and antitrust laws.

BY: Vanessa Kaster, Esq., LL.M.

vk@kasterlegal.com