[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Odessa

[How do you turn off the reporting in the settings ?]

Actually, in my country, that last option says : "For your privacy settings, see www.kobo.com/privacy".

Someone mentioned this recently. It is apparently a requirement of the jurisdiction you are in.

I went there, and found a page which I had never discovered before. The only way to get there, apart from knowing the URL, is an excessively discreet link at the bottom of the homepage of the website, which says Privacy Settings.

You mean the link on the bottom of every page in one of the two places I would look for it? And the same link that is on the account settings page? And the same link that was shown to you when you signed up for a Kobo account? Or included in every email that I have received from Kobo?

No, it is not shoved in your face all the time, but, it is there and if you couldn't find that, then you haven't exactly looked very hard.

Those settings are not available through Settings on the Libra, they are not available through Settings on Kobo Desktop, and they are not even available through My Account / Account Settings on the website !

And as stated, those settings are there because of the law in your country.

In other words, Kobo makes it really difficult for you to even be aware that this privacy page exists, and that you can adjust the settings.

Again, it is there and if you couldn't find it, you should have looked. Or just asked Kobo.

To be honest, I found that by default, the most private options were selected. However, you cannot opt out of the following :

Essential Tracking (required to use the site)
Always Enabled

We use cookies to enable essential website operations and to ensure certain features work properly, like log-in or adding products to your shopping cart. These cookies allow you to be remembered as you explore our site in a single session or if you request, from session to session.

This tracking is always enabled, otherwise, you can’t view the website or shop online. They are usually only set in response to an action made by you that amounts to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling out forms. They also assist security issues and help the site conform to regulation. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of our site will not then work.

Examples

Wishlist and shopping cart functionality
Purchase records
Reading notes, highlights, bookmarks and reading statistics

Actually, you can opt out. By not using the Kobo web site.

The reasons for why you can't opt out are valid. They need some information to be able to actually sell the book to you and make sure you get it.

The point is, the privacy policy is really frightening by its scope. Some excerpts :

For example, we collect information about how you use the Kobo Services, such as pages you view, the rate at which you consume e-content (how often and for how long), genres, authors or subject matter you prefer and searches you make or share, the ebooks or audiobooks you have liked, comments you have left and also websites you have viewed through links in the comments. We collect this information across the various devices, applications, and other tools via which you access and interact with the Kobo Services.

We collect certain technical information about your device - such as your IP address, device type, device model and manufacturer, device identifier and your device operating system type and version.

There's also something called Rakuten ID.

Additionally, we may draw inferences about your preferences and characteristics from any of your Personal Information that we collect to develop a record of your potential preferences, characteristics, predispositions, behaviour, attitudes, abilities, and aptitudes.


We may share the information we collect, including Personal Information, with law enforcement or to otherwise comply with any statutory or regulatory requirement or the order of a court or other public authority agency, regulator, government authority or other third party where we believe this is necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation, or otherwise to protect our rights or the rights of any third party.

Furthermore, it's very difficult to understand the link between those abilities and the privacy settings. It's not clear at all what you can prevent by choosing the most private options.

Is the Kobo private ? Hell, no !

So basically they say:

• We collect information to be able to supply you the services you want from us.
• We collect information about how you use the services that we supply.
• We use the collected information to try and give you a better service.
• We collect information to satisfy any legal requirements we are under.
• We share information where we are legally required to.

Exactly how is all that different from every other privacy statement out there?