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Everyone knows your location: tracking myself down through in-app ads

(timsh.org)
1957 points apokryptein | 3 comments | 02 Feb 25 17:07 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
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inahga ◴[02 Feb 25 17:31 UTC] No.42910118[source]▶
There are quite a few interesting tracking flows out there.

My rent is paid through a company called Bilt.

I discovered that when I shop at Walgreens now, Bilt sends me an email containing the full receipt of what I bought like so:

    > Hey [inahga],
    >
    > You shopped at Walgreens on 12/1/24 and earned Bilt Points with your
    > Neighborhood Pharmacy benefit.
    >
    > Items eligible for rewards
    > TOSTITOS HINT OF LIME RSTC 11OZ
    > $3.50
    > 
    > +3 pts
    > TOSTITOS RSTC 12OZ
    > $3.50
    >
    > +3 pts
    > Other items*
    > EXCLUDED ITEMS
    > $0.07
    >
    > *May include rewards-ineligible items and/or prescriptions.
Ostensibly (hopefully) it would exclude sensitive items, plan B, condoms, etc...

I'm curious how this data flows from Walgreens to my rent company, but maybe I'd rather not know and just use cash/certified check from now on.

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1. crazygringo ◴[02 Feb 25 20:10 UTC] No.42911346[source]▶
I believe that's opt-in. At least it seemed to be when my landlord switched to Bilt.

There's a section of your Bilt profile that shows your other credit cards and whether you want them linked. It's pretty freaky to see them listed in the first place.

I definitely keep them off.

Bilt is ultimately a big points/reward program though, so you might get points for having them connected.

I still haven't figured out exactly what Bilt's business plan is, but the main part seems to be trying to get as much financial data on people as possible, and partnering with landlords to do so, and since it's how to pay your rent you can't unenroll completely. (Unless you maybe mail your landlord a paper check?)

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2. inahga ◴[02 Feb 25 21:05 UTC] No.42911822[source]▶
It was opt-out for me. Or at least, I was never given informed consent that this data exchange going to take place.

The landlord of course makes it _seem_ like you have no other modes of paying rent. The cashier’s check option is buried in the fine print.

Dark patterns all around IMO.

3. DerSaidin ◴[03 Feb 25 03:42 UTC] No.42914689[source]▶
It was initially opt in for me, then they made it mandatory.

(Sure, I could pay by check but consumer banking technology/US in the US already feels like is is lagging a decade behind other countries without voluntarily going further back. Paying by check every month would be quite inconvenient.)

I'd already decided to avoid bilt as much as possible, but reading this thread prompted me to try going a little further.

Looking through their privacy policy it talks about what California residents can do under CCPA: https://legal.biltrewards.com/policies

> Request to Know... The specific pieces of Personal Information we collected about you.

> You have the right to opt-out from having your Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information sold to third parties. You also have the right to opt-out from having your Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information shared with third parties for purposes of cross-contextual advertising

Might as well give this a go.