• Boring@lemmy.ml
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    I created an account while in the store with an email of [email protected] and a basic password and surprisingly didn’t have to verify the email. Then turned on a VPN to my house.

    I plan on just creating a new account every time I go in just to fill up their database with nonsense.

      • ddh@lemmy.sdf.org
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        1 year ago

        This makes me feel a lot better about ChatGPT garbage corrupting Google search results.

      • Altecheon@ttrpg.network
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        1 year ago

        Fun fact: Android developer options has a Disabled Persistent Mac address randomization toggle. Or at least Pixel phones do

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      You do realize that they are actually tracking the device itself by the hardware MAC address and other device fingerprints.

      The email is just a bonus to let them legally spam you. Anti-spam laws have an exemption. If there’s a prior business relationship like shopping in their stores, they can put you on their spam list unless you opt out.

      Bogus email only helps for spam but doesn’t do anything about tracking.

      EDIT: For Android when there’s a Captive Portal like the screen shot. devices will use Persistent randomization which while not the hardware MAC will remain the same for the same network where they can track your visits.

      • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.gg
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        Pretty much all modern phones randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network unless the user explicitly says not to do that.

        • 𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏@lemmy.one
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          randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network

          +1, had issues using Android devices for presence detection because of this very useful privacy feature. Even on your home network, the MAC address and device hostname get randomized, unless disabled in the settings

          Edit: typo

        • geekworking@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          When there’s a Captive Portal like the screenshot, many devices use a random but persistent mac for that network avoid reauthorization after any network drop. This will make your access to the specific network trackable.

          • Boring@lemmy.ml
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            1 year ago

            But can’t you go manually forget the network in your device network options to circumvent this?

          • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.gg
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            1 year ago

            I’d assume after a certain amount of time or after moving far enough away from the network it “forgets” the last randomized MAC address?

            It doesn’t really make sense to store these things long term.

      • Boring@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        GrapheneOS let’s me do a per-connection randomized MAC.

        I’m sure they do collect a lot more about my device, but there’s not much I can do about it short of wrapping my phone in tin foil.

        • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Don’t forget to disable wifi and bluetooth before approaching the store, as those give off unique identifiers too.

    • Zastyion345@lemmy.ml
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      Don’t forget to spoof your MAC address so they cant see who is making the fake accounts ;D

      • TheGoldenGod@lemmy.world
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        Exactly, a damn good reason to avoid the Wi-Fi in stores altogether. So many wifi access points are super weak in security and super sketchy.

        I try sticking to my home where I can manage it like a nervous hawk.

      • Nahvi@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        This is a fantastic read.

        I remember febreeze coming out and being like, that would be cool but you can’t trust ads and it sounds like total BS. I knew they added a scent, but I had not idea about the subtle social manipulation that they used to shift people’s habits.

        Speaking of habits, this is the first time I have heard about all the science involved in studying and breaking them.

        Thank you for that link. Definitely going to save it.

        • theneverfox@pawb.social
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          Not really. With https luckily being the default, at most they could get the sites you were going to (I don’t think dnss is dead, but it’s been very slow to grow unfortunately).

          They could probably see if you’re checking Amazon or Google, but wouldn’t be able to see what you’re looking at exactly. Theoretically they could use cameras and or triangulation to see what you’re in front of when you use the Internet, but a VPN would still show traffic so they’d know you’re looking up something.

          The big thing this would do is act like a loyalty card… They give you some amount of benefit in exchange for tracking your purchases in ever higher detail. Mostly it’s just like that, except they’d also be able to see how long you are in the store, and ideally they can link it to your purchases so they can infer more about it

          FWIW, I wouldn’t only consider giving them a disposable email

  • squiblet@kbin.social
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    At least they’re telling you. There’s also a lot of hidden surveillance in stores - they’ve done it with Bluetooth and cameras for some time. Things like monitoring how long you look at products and evaluating your reactions to displays.

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      That’s why I always introduce a good bit of entropy to my shopping patterns:

      -Enter and go straight to produce
      -Spend 20 minutes examining eggplants
      -Walk up and down 5 aisles pausing exactly the square of the aisle number in seconds.
      -Grab a box of tampons
      -Grab what I need as quickly as possible
      -Return tampons
      -Checkout and leave

      Somewhere a marketing team is spending hours trying to figure out how to improve the conversion rates for tampons and eggplants for customers in my demo.

      • DocBlaze@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        This is even more hilarious if you read it in Dale Gribble’s (from King of the Hill) voice

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        1 year ago

        Don’t forget to flick and knock on various fruits and vegetables. Randomize how many flicks/knocks per item, and throw in a few on produce items that normally don’t get that kind of test e.g. grapes or potatoes.

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            1 year ago

            Melons and squashes (inc. pumpkins).

            I believe the idea is to allow you to roughly evaluate the density of the produce, to avoid e.g. mushy grainy watermelon or weird squashes that don’t have their expected hollowness.

  • Zerush@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    In the EU they already had a complaint, because it violates GDPR, but in any case I would never use a public WiFi without a VPN, and even less in places with these conditions, there is also free WiFi in some Rstaurants (even in most McDonalds), public Libraries and others. Fuck surveillance advertising

    • Socsa@sh.itjust.works
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      There’s just no reason to unless you are really skimping on phone data. Random wifi hotspots are one of the most dangerous things for an average joe in terms of infosec.

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      Agreed. My iPhone connects to my home VPN via Wireguard as soon as I leave my home WiFi. Has the added benefit of pihole ad filtering everywhere.

        • lud@lemm.ee
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          I used to before but my family was extremely bothered that they couldn’t click on ad links. If I remember correctly, it’s pretty easy to set up if you want to just try it.

        • justcoding_de@programming.dev
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          Obviously the first ad links in google don’t work any more, which drives the wife crazy ;-) Also nowadays more and more websites complain about me using an adblocker.

          But technically, not really any problems at all.

        • Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca
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          In the 6 years I’ve ran mine, I’ve not had any issues and I run a blocklist with over 1 million domains on it.

          If I was to run into something that’s blocked that I do want loaded, I can just open the pihole interface and either whitelist the blocked domain or disable blocking for a short time, each with just a couple clicks.

        • justcoding_de@programming.dev
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          Yup. What are they gonna do that every other portscanning bad actor isn’t doing 24/7 already?

          Also, how would they distinguish between my private VPN and that of a commercial provider?

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      They seem to explain pretty well how your data will be used, why would this violate GDPR?

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        I might be wrong but i think it is because they don’t give you the option to opt out and use the wifi.

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          Should they? I would simply not connect to their Wi-Fi and move on, it’s not like they are obligated to provide you internet.

    • Resolved3874@lemdro.id
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      Went to a Walmart the other day and my phone automatically connected to a wifi that was apparently hosted by my cell carrier. Immediately turned on my VPN because wtf. I disconnected at first then realized I didn’t have any service at all which was probably why it existed. Thankfully didn’t need to log in but that’s why I have Firefox relay.

    • XTornado@lemmy.ml
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      I have seen it on Europe… maybe there was some way to circumvent it hidden away, not sure. But you could type a random email and that’s it, like they don’t send anything to confirm the email or anything once you submit you have access to internet.

          • Cort@lemmy.world
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            UK gdpr not withstanding, the question asked was: where in Europe. UK remains a part of Europe post brexit.

          • Astigma@feddit.uk
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            The provisions of the EU GDPR have been incorporated directly into UK law as the UK GDPR. It’s ok to not know this stuff but it only takes like 10 seconds to google before you comment about something you don’t know.

      • Zerush@lemmy.ml
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        AFAIK it does not exist in Europe, but I meant that these conditions in the EU would not be tolerated. Maybe because of this there isn’t a Walmart in the EU, there are a lot of Malls from other companies and none of these use this practices in their restaurants, mostly with free WiFi for their visitors. Offering free WiFi is already enough of a benefit for them, because it attracts customers, they do not need to intrude on their privacy with an obvious attempt to spam them and make money with their data.

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    Why would anyone interested in privacy connect to any public WiFi? That’s crazy.

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      When you need service, but data is blocked by all the steel in the ceiling/roof. I’ve used it, but with my VPN active. I wonder if they’re now going to try to block VPN services?

  • Deleted@kbin.social
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    Why are all you mother fuckers shopping at Walmart. They are a welfare corporation offloading their costs to tax payers because despite making tons of money they pay shit and skirt employee benefits laws by keeping worker hours low and give new employees info on how to get financial aid such as food stamps.

    • eee@lemm.ee
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      This is the most privileged thing you could say.

      “Hey, why isn’t everyone eating sustainably sourced GMO-free, organic, locally-grown food all the time?”

      Spoiler alert: it costs more

      • whofearsthenight@lemm.ee
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        Yeah, this is the thing. Does literally anyone want to go to Walmart? No. Is it the place I can afford? Increasingly, still no. Not sure I can even afford to walk past whatever the good version of a Whole Foods is today, though.

      • mushroom@sh.itjust.works
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        Haha exactly. People shop at Walmart because they work at target and don’t make enough money to shop at Whole Foods.

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      Cause WinCo doesn’t always have what I need, but most importantly:

      I’m poor.

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      A lot of people in rural areas find themselves in situations like being 10 minutes from a walmart and an hour from any other option. So then anything besides walmart costs gas and time, on top of the product cost difference to begin with.

      Nobody wants to drive extra after 8 hours of shitty minimum wage work and/or taking care of children.

      Not like other grocery stores are any good for workers, either.

    • nathris@lemmy.ca
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      Because all of the other retailers do the same shit only with higher prices. Here in Canada they don’t pay their employees any less than the competition, yet their prices are 30-40% cheaper on average.

      That extra 40% doesn’t result in better working conditions for the employees, it goes directly to the shareholders and bonuses for the C-suite.

      I respect the hell out of Walmart because they actually keep their price increases tied to inflation and aren’t out there trying to sell a loaf of poverty white bread for $5 or a pack of 4 chicken breasts for $37.

      • settinmoon@lemmy.ml
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        I got some insight from a friend who works at a major supplier for these retail stores in Canada. He said how they manage prices is that when they anticipate a rise in cost they’ll jack the price all the way to a future projected target instead of following the current inflationary rate so that they won’t need to constantly quote their customers different prices. They don’t care because they know it will get passed downstream.

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    For the email, you can use an email alias service like Addy or SimpleLogin. They’re both open-source and offer free tiers. I never give out my real email to anyone now except actual contacts.

    After that, I think a VPN would probably still work to disguise what you’re doing from Walmart, but I’m not a 100% certain on that so I won’t link any.

    But yeah, definitely use email alias wherever you can.

      • dependencyInjection@sh.itjust.works
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        I do.

        I use SimpleLogin and ProtonMail.

        Some sites have I’ll actually know you’re using SimpleLogin though and just say no, but they’re few and far between.

        You could also use your own domain if you have one or buy a cheap one.

        Then you can create as many as you like and just kill them as and when you need.

        SimpleLogin has plugins for all browsers and phones so it’s not too difficult to create new addresses.

      • Illiterate Domine@infosec.pub
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        I do and it works great! I mostly did this to limit the blast radius of breaches, but aliases also provide an easy way to send those kinds of things to both me and my spouse.

      • Klystron@sh.itjust.works
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        I do it with everything. The only people who have my real email address are my family. Everything else is a masked email. It’s especially nice because if I start getting spam on one email I can immediately tell which site sold my info and I never use that site again.

  • CleoTheWizard@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    Walmart, the biggest grocery retailer in the entire United States, uses face tracking in the majority of their stores in several sections, and we’re concerned about their Wi-Fi?

    The Wi-Fi seems like such a minor problem compared to them collecting massive amounts of data off of something you aren’t consenting to explicitly.

    Like you walk into their stores and they can know: How often you visit, what items you buy, what payment method you use most often, what items you looked at and what aisles you visit, who you bring with you, what your kids look like, what disabilities you may have, size of your household, and whatever else they want. There’s basically no respect for any privacy in their stores.

    The US is a privacy nightmare in competition with China. Most of the US doesn’t have any option over their privacy. You just don’t get it here.

    • trippingonthewire@lemmy.mlOP
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      It’s even worse as an associate. They make us sign up for some social media I never use, download apps on our phones, and make us give them our handprints for a machine to take out our tills. And we’re getting face scanned by cameras all day. Dystopian nightmare and it makes me feel ashamed to have accepted the job here.

      I use GOS and therefore believe that I have some level of protection on the WiFi level based off of that, and I have their apps on a separate profile but it’s getting tougher on privacy here at Walmart.

      Edit: That’s also why I have no pictures of me in my socials and deleted my Facebook, Instagram, and twitter, so they shouldn’t have too many ways to market to me aside through my debit and credit cards possibly.

      • Steve@communick.news
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        1 year ago

        Revoke the data privileges of the app on your phone. That will effectively neuter it, while you can show them it’s there.

        • trippingonthewire@lemmy.mlOP
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          I have all of their apps on a separate profile. One app I do sadly need data for to check my schedule and look up prices of things.

  • XTornado@lemmy.ml
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    Not sure about this Walmart case but most you can write any email like random letters [email protected] or not even the Gmail part as long as it’s a valid looking mail and then works like you don’t even have to confirm the email or anything.

    • DocBlaze@lemmy.world
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      “If you are an angry man of 30, and it is Friday evening, it may offer you a bottle of whiskey,” said Ekaterina Savchenko, the company’s head of > marketing.

      I feel personally attacked.

      I’ve started using a faraday pouch for everything, from my phone to my car key fob. if you use a device with a masked MAC address in a privacy protecting OS, and don’t auto connect to networks otherwise, perhaps it’s better.

        • DocBlaze@lemmy.world
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          yeah I just switched my wallet and that is why I never used that feature. I literally just found out maybe 3 days ago I have a tap card when the cashier told me. I was horrified. I feel like the time you save tapping as opposed to swiping or inserting isn’t worth the security and privacy risks.

          these engineers keep making new stuff that’s kind of interesting at best but we don’t even need that we end up being inconvenienced by. tap cards save .07 seconds but you end up having to protect your card from thieves and extreme tracking by retailers, and it’s disgusting. it’s time to go back to cash.

    • Psythik@lemm.ee
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      Cause I get shit service in Walmart and don’t really have any other option if I need to look something up while shopping.

      • ManosTheHandsOfFate@lemmy.world
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        I live near a shopping area with a bunch of stores. It has zero cell coverage from any provider. Apparently there’s been some NIMBY resistance to putting up towers in nearby neighborhoods.

    • trippingonthewire@lemmy.mlOP
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      Fair, but even using your normal router without a VPN isn’t good imo. Even if it’s not as bad as public. And VPNs are usually an extreme measure. If I was using public WiFi, and doing stuff on my bank account, then yes, VPN all the way, but I usually don’t feel that I need it.

      • neosheo@beehaw.org
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        Why is the vpn necessary when you have https to the bank? Just to hide you’re ip from the bank?

          • neosheo@beehaw.org
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            Well im just saying thats what https is for but there’s nothing wrong with extra security

            • trippingonthewire@lemmy.mlOP
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              So if https is all that’s needed, why do VPNs recommend using them at public locations? Just false advertising? I click on my bank app and it always wants a password and I guess I don’t know enough about network engineering. I’m interested in Android Development but don’t know much about WiFi I guess.

              • neosheo@beehaw.org
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                Marketing mostly. The vpn makes an encrypted tunnel that you’re traffic goes thru. If using https and vpn there are 2 layers of encryption. It’s not false advertising bc an extra layer doesn’t hurt. Now if your sending password over http it would help but you shouldnt be using a site that sends passwords over plaintext. I would say vpn is mostly to either hide your ip from websites or to hide internet activity from your isp

                • trippingonthewire@lemmy.mlOP
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                  So more for privacy than security, so it would make sense to use a VPN depending on your threat model I suppose, or how much you care.

        • derpgon@programming.dev
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          I always wonder why those VPN absolutists aren’t happy with your regular HTTPS. Sure, maybe HTTP is safer with the VPN, but it just hides your real IP from the target website.