Privacy issues

FlorenceArt · 05-05-2016, 07:06 AM

I know that privacy seems to be a losing battle these days, but I want to fight back anyway. I just received an e-mail from a commercial website I had just visited on safari on my iPad. How did they get my e-mail, and can I prevent it? Is it just Safari or iOS?

HarryT · 05-05-2016, 07:15 AM

There is no way that visiting a website with any browser can tell them your email address. They will of course log your IP address, but they can't get from that to an email address.

FlorenceArt · 05-05-2016, 08:12 AM

I'm not so sure. This happened to me years ago, on my Mac. At the time I had my e-mail address entered in the browser's preferences. I removed it and it didn't happen again, but that doesn't mean a thing of course, since it is such a rare occurrence anyway. But that website could not possibly have had any other way of knowing my address.

In today's case it is less clear though. I may have visited the site before and given them my address voluntarily, and have a cookie from that site on Safari. I don't think so but it's not utterly impossible.

FlorenceArt · 05-05-2016, 08:16 AM

I think you're right though, it must be my IP address. Which means that OK-news, whoever they are, knows who I am, my IP address and my e-mail. And I just confirmed all that when I followed the unsubscribe link. Come to think of, this is not the first time it's happened to me. I don't remember if it was the same company who sent the email.

HarryT · 05-05-2016, 08:19 AM

Yes, if you've previously told them your email address, they could have stored it in a cookie on your iPad or on their own system.

FlorenceArt · 05-05-2016, 08:23 AM

Yes but I don't think that's what happened. I think this company OK-news is using data from a site or sites that have my e-mail address, to send me ads for a site that shouldn't have it.

HarryT · 05-05-2016, 08:26 AM

Yes, unfortunately that's not at all uncommon, as you know.

05-05-2016, 07:06 AM	#1
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	Privacy issues I know that privacy seems to be a losing battle these days, but I want to fight back anyway. I just received an e-mail from a commercial website I had just visited on safari on my iPad. How did they get my e-mail, and can I prevent it? Is it just Safari or iOS?

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05-05-2016, 07:15 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	There is no way that visiting a website with any browser can tell them your email address. They will of course log your IP address, but they can't get from that to an email address.

05-05-2016, 08:12 AM	#3
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	I'm not so sure. This happened to me years ago, on my Mac. At the time I had my e-mail address entered in the browser's preferences. I removed it and it didn't happen again, but that doesn't mean a thing of course, since it is such a rare occurrence anyway. But that website could not possibly have had any other way of knowing my address. In today's case it is less clear though. I may have visited the site before and given them my address voluntarily, and have a cookie from that site on Safari. I don't think so but it's not utterly impossible.

05-05-2016, 08:16 AM	#4
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	I think you're right though, it must be my IP address. Which means that OK-news, whoever they are, knows who I am, my IP address and my e-mail. And I just confirmed all that when I followed the unsubscribe link. Come to think of, this is not the first time it's happened to me. I don't remember if it was the same company who sent the email.

05-05-2016, 08:19 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, if you've previously told them your email address, they could have stored it in a cookie on your iPad or on their own system.

05-05-2016, 08:23 AM	#6
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	Yes but I don't think that's what happened. I think this company OK-news is using data from a site or sites that have my e-mail address, to send me ads for a site that shouldn't have it.

05-05-2016, 08:26 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, unfortunately that's not at all uncommon, as you know.

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