PayPal wants to share your data – unless you do so
Another week, another online service tried to quietly change its data collection and sharing practices by default. The good news is that you still have time to opt out before your data is automatically given away without your consent.
According to PayPal’s policy update page (issued on September 23 for US users), the service is set to exchange your data with third-party sellers “to help improve your shopping experience and make it more personal to you.” Starting in early summer 2025, the new policy will not only compromise your privacy – even if you use the best VPN apps – but PayPal will start collecting data as early as November 27, 2024.
It appears that users are logged in by default (see image below), which could be an issue under some privacy regulations such as GDPR. After I came across some US accounts complaining about this on TwitterI decided to check if that was also the case for people in the UK (where I live). When I went to my privacy settings, the option was automatically enabled.
It is also important to keep in mind that the policy changes will not apply equally across jurisdictions and users. For example, in Britain, the new data sharing will come into effect on October 10, 2024.
A July 8 policy update clarified that, for the UK market, “merchants may share customer personal information that PayPal provides to them with their service providers.”
I recommend that you check your profile settings as soon as possible to undo the change if you do not want your information to be shared.
How to opt out of PayPal’s new data sharing
Depending on where you are, you may find PayPal’s new data sharing option under a different name. Please note that you may not see this at all if you live in a country where this is not allowed.
If you are in the US, go to your profile Institutions and tap Data and privacy. Below Manage shared informationclick Personalized shopping. You should see the option enabled by default. To log out, disable the button on the right.
If you’re in the UK like me, you’ll see something different after you go to your profile Institutions and tap Data and privacy.
Below Manage your privacy settingshere you see one Interest-based marketing tab – click on it. At this point two options will appear: Interest-based marketing on PayPal And Internet-based marketing on your accounts. You’ll need to tap each of these and disable the button on the right to log out. These instructions may also apply if you live in the EU.
PayPal is updating its terms of service so they can give your information to sellers starting in November, and they’re counting on people not knowing to opt out. So to opt out before they start: go to Settings > Data & Privacy > Manage Shared Information > Personalized Shopping, and turn that shit offSeptember 29, 2024
PayPal isn’t the first online service to quietly enable more invasive data practices without asking users’ consent.
In the latest example, LinekdIn last week started training its AI tool by default based on user data. Once again, users had to opt out of this functionality to prevent their personal information and messages from being collected.
Also before Microsoft’s social platform Facebook, Instagramand X (formerly known as Twitter) had quietly enabled the training of their AI tools on the public information of all users.
“We shouldn’t have to take steps to undo a choice that one company made for all of us,” he says. tweeted Rachel Tobacethical hacker and CEO of SocialProof Security, at the time to comment on LinkedIn’s move. “Organizations think they can get away with automatic opt-in because ‘everyone is doing it.’ If we come together and demand that organizations allow us to CHOOSE to opt-in, hopefully one day things will change.”
While it’s unlikely that the business models of these platforms will change anytime soon, I encourage you to stay tuned for news or notifications about policy updates from PayPal – and any other online services where you have an account – to stay informed are. precisely what information you share at all times.