mattroberts.com

Yesterday, I read about RapLeaf over on Jane Porters Blog. Not all that impressed i decided to see if my name was included…. Being famous (ahem) it of course was

I decided to see if I could “opt out” as its my information and i have no wish for someone else to be aggregate my online identity in one place. Since I don’t wish to subscribe to still one more site I visited their Terms of Service and found out how to get my information off there. Needless to say it was a complete crock of S#!*.

You can read the below email exchange and some thoughts at the end.

——————-

From: matt roberts
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 12:34 PM
To: opt-out@rapleaf.com
Subject: Please take down my information

thanks!

——————-

On 9/4/07, Vivek Sodera (RapLeaf) wrote:

Matt,

Please print out the attached customized opt-out form, fill it out, and mail it to the following postal address:

Rapleaf
Attn: Opt-Out Request
657 Mission Street, Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94105

NOTE: The attached form is in PDF format. In order to print out the form, you may need to download Adobe Reader if you do not already have it installed on your computer: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Rapleaf will then quickly follow up with a confirmation email once the opt-out form is received. All relevant information pertaining to this opted-out email address will also be removed once this opt-out form is received.

Best,
Vivek Sodera

Rapleaf

——————-

From: matt roberts
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 5:40 PM
To: Vivek Sodera (RapLeaf)
Subject: Re: Please take down my information

Why can’t this be done electronically? you’ve gathered all this info that way it shouldn’t be an issue to do it by email. I’m obviously the owner of said address.

——————-

On 9/4/07, Vivek Sodera (RapLeaf) wrote:

Matt,
I understand your concern. However this is for internal and external audit purposes.

Best,
Vivek Sodera

Rapleaf
——————-

Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 6:15 PM
To: Vivek Sodera (RapLeaf)
Subject: Re: Please take down my information

Hey Vivek,

Please don’t take this too negatively but rapleaf has consolidated this information without my knowledge or permission. while all publicly available i don’t think the onus should be on me to send a physical mail to you. Especially, while you collect the information electronically and use audit systems in paper? ummm… lets be honest you’re relying on the lazyness of most internet users. Its obviously a major plank in keeping the service viable to make it difficult for me to get off your site.

As the popularity of your service grows i think more people are going to want to opt out. While some will probably like the underlying intention of the service, i prefer a model were i’m not forced to pay the cost of sending you a letter to end a service making money of information collected on me - available to any scriptbot a kid could write.

are the plans to make this auditing system electronic and if so a timeline?

cheers
m

——————-

from “Vivek Sodera (RapLeaf)”
to matt roberts
date Sep 4, 2007 9:31 PM
subject RE: Please take down my information
Matt,
Again, I completely understand your concern. The opt-out process is not designed to make it difficult to get you or any other use off our site. The process goes hand-in-hand with setting up a 3rd party privacy regulation, an in-house privacy program, an in-house verification system, and dispute resolution process. Unfortunately we do not have a way to do all of this electronically but that is something we’ll definitely look into as we continue to scale.

And again, sorry for the inconvenience.

Best,
Vivek Sodera

Rapleaf

——————-

To “Vivek Sodera (RapLeaf)”
date Sep 5, 2007 3:30 PM
subject Re: Please take down my information
mailed-by mattroberts.com

Vivek, you have to admit its not only inconvenient its downright silly.

I’ll have to say that this exchange will be going on my blog and I’ll probably just keep on the bad press bandwagon with Rapleaf until this policy is changed. Considering your team has opened up an API for third parties to use this information and not bothered to create an electronic means to remove my information from your site is obviously back to my original thought: You’re counting on users being lazy.

You’ll be receiving my printed PDF in the mail.

matt

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Since Rapleaf has now opened up an API for third Party developers then I’m going to propose they electronically allow me to delete my user information. It should not be hard and it doesn’t require a physical Mail I think Jane Porter has a point that this is really wrong and creepy.