Welcome to the Verizon Media Privacy Policy

[xAxis]

I believe the users of good old yahoo web mail might guess what this topic is about just by reading the title. I always liked yahoo because it's the only one site I know of that doesn't ask for domain on login. I've had an email address there for quite a long time, but it has become increasingly difficult to avoid giving them private details. In the beginning it was easy to do by just pressing "cancel", but then in time it has become an art to get to your mail without giving something you're not comfortable giving, like your mobile phone for example. Lately I'd sometimes get there without even knowing how, after in frustration I'd just keep refreshing the page.

And now, there is this "Verizon Media" that apparently bought yahoo and seems impossible to avoid. They claim to offer you choices in their popup dialogs, but it seems to me they are simply there to

"access your device to collect data for ad and content selection, delivery, measurement and personalisation."

and also give this right to any or all of their partners.
I wonder how you people deal with this trend and if specifically anyone had problem with the yahoo mail.
Thanks
I

 

[phinds]

I didn't even know yahoo mail still EXISTED but I see from Google that about 3% of people still use it so in absolute terms that's a fair number of users, but still, 3% ? ...

 

[russ_watters]

I wonder how you people deal with this trend and if specifically anyone had problem with the yahoo mail.

I'm having trouble understanding what you are asking about. What is "verizon media" and what does it have to do with Yahoo mail? And what type of information? Email can be totally anonymous.

Verizon spun off/outsourced its email to AOL a year or two ago (yes, @phinds that still exists too).

 

[xAxis]

Lol, yes it still exists, and I actually prefer it to my gmail. Basically @russ_watters this popup shows up wherever (or most times) I try to access my yahoo mail. They would ask for example for my telephone number in case I loose my password. But you always had some choice to not give them. However in time it has become increasingly difficult to work your way out of it, if not impossible. I think it's not fair from such companies to use those tricks like sending you to thousands of pages in order to opt out, or simply giving you false info. I think it should be illegal.

 

[russ_watters]

Basically @russ_watters this popup shows up wherever (or most times) I try to access my yahoo mail. They would ask for example for my telephone number in case I loose my password. But you always had some choice to not give them. However in time it has become increasingly difficult to work your way out of it, if not impossible. I think it's not fair from such companies to use those tricks like sending you to thousands of pages in order to opt out, or simply giving you false info. I think it should be illegal.

Just give them a fake number. But anyway, I think you are overreacting. This type of feature is or can be security and access enhancing. You don't have to use it, but it isn't just a ploy to gain personal info.

 

[xAxis]

To me it looks like a ploy. Once I spent literally an hour to manage to opt out only to be told that it might take days until these actions take effect.

 

[phyzguy]

I still use yahoo mail, and I never get the pop-up you are referring to.

 

[jack action]

I always liked yahoo because it's the only one site I know of that doesn't ask for domain on login.

Protonmail do not ask for the domain. And your local-part works with 3 domains (protonmail.com, protonmail.ch & pm.me).

The free account can be limiting, but you cannot get a more secure email, and privacy is their reason to live.

They would ask for example for my telephone number in case I loose my password. But you always had some choice to not give them. However in time it has become increasingly difficult to work your way out of it, if not impossible.

To be the devil's advocate, the main reason to ask for a phone number is to verify that you are a real person, using a personal email, as opposed to someone creating many accounts for some marketing skims. But I don't like it either.

 

[Evo]

I still use yahoo mail, and I never get the pop-up you are referring to.

I also use the free basic yahoo and have never been asked. @xAxis are you subscribing to yahoo's premium email? Or are you accessing it from a Verizon account?

Is it possible it is a phishing scam? You may be compromised and should check your computer, also contact yahoo.

 

[Tom.G]

For a 'required' phone number, here in the US, I use the national Directory Assistance number: <AreaCode>555-1212. The sweet part is that there is generally a charge for calling it! On top of that, my number is not listed.

An other option is to use an e-mail address based in the European Union, which has much tighter privacy laws. Personally, I use GMX.com which is based in Germany.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[xAxis]

@Evo No, I don't use Verizon. And I wonder how you managed to stay on basic yahoo mail. I tried to resist changes as long as possible, but as far as I remember at one stage I had to upgrade to new yahoo, with many more confusing windows and options. But maybe you are right, maybe my PC got compromised.
The other annoying thing that often happens to me, even today when I wanted to donate some mokney to a charity is that they casually inform you that their site uses "cookies and similar technologies". However when I once went to check what those "similar technologies" are, I discovered that they include tracking your physical location. I don't know, maybe I just have bad luck.