Federal census-participate or joke/privacy invasion??

[withm]

If you use one of those little "discount" or "buyer's club" cards at your local grocery store, drugstore, the data miners have way more personal information about you, including your name, than the census ever collects.

[tulip]

If you use one of those little "discount" or "buyer's club" cards at your local grocery store, drugstore, the data miners have way more personal information about you, including your name, than the census ever collects.

Exactly. But then how else are you going to get the specials? It's a racket.

[OakLeaf]

And if you've ever turned in a health insurance claim, then anyone who wants it can get your entire medical history.

The loyalty cards are just a way for the stores to bring their data-mining in-house. They were getting it all from your bank/credit card company before, this just makes it more economical and more comprehensive for them.

Honestly I don't care if they know that a 50-year-female from my zip code who buys organic parsley sometimes buys store-made cookies, too. I'm a lot more concerned about who has access to my medical records. But there's nothing I can do about that, short of paying cash for all of it and choosing a doctor who doesn't participate in HIPAA... of whom there are very, very few nowadays.

[withm]

Exactly. But then how else are you going to get the specials? It's a racket.

You are absolutely right. It really annoys me that we have to give in to this scheme. It's only a matter of time before really blatant targeted direct marketing kicks in. It's pretty creepy to even think about it. It's only one step away from stalking.