Privacy: Scary and Weird Stuff

Database information collection behind the scenes is something most of us rarely think about, and when we do our reaction seems to be "what, me worry?". Well I got a promotion from Yahoo marketing yesterday that brought to the front how much is going on behind the scenes.

The card was addressed to my Post Office box. But it wasn't addressed to me. It was addressed to the General Manager of an employer of almost 10 years ago. They used his correct business title. They used MY business name, which is in no way related to my former employer's business.

While it has been nearly ten years I can't imagine why I would ever have received any mail for that organization at that Post Office box. And I can say with 99.9999% certainty that HIS name would not have been connected with it if I had. However, through my professional association I did order publications, which I might have had go through that PO, at the time I was employed there. But all such orders always came in my name. So clearly there has been collection and cross-referencing of records to come up with this rather bizarre hodge-podge of information.

Oh yeah, doesn't make me very confident in Yahoo! either. Sheesh.