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Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

himmal
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Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

Why are Plus Net selling our location data?  Isn't this illegal, without permission, according to the Data Protection Act 2018?

 

I have tested it and it is definitely being sold on.  Try yourself. 

Go to any IP location website. 

Check the data. 

reboot your router and get a new IP address.

Check again.

 

Alternately do a google search.  Notice the approximate location at the bottom.  Reboot router and get new IP and look again.

 

The only way this could be happening so quickly is if Plus Net are selling approximate geolocation data to third party databases and updating in real time.

 

My IP address and geolocation are private and personal data as stated in the 2018 act and therefore permission is required for you to sell it on because selling it on does not help you provide your service surely?

24 REPLIES 24
wotsup
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

I had a email from virginmedia today, ( have not been a customer for over 18 months now but they still keep sending me stuff ) advising that customers data had been hacked and that it included names, addresses,  date of birth and marketing data,  they said no bank details were involved but can you believe them ?  Did not say when this security breach happened,  but I guess they keep old customers details on their system...

himmal
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

Yeah, the virgin hack was in the paper yesterday.  They left an unsecured database on the cloud with no password protection with nearly a million customers data on it!  That is unforgivable from an ISP.  If that happened in the USA they would sue. 

RobPN
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

@himmal 

Are you sure about that?

According to your theory I'm in (at least) three places simultaneously!

 

Capture.PNG

 

himmal
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

The one I'm using, GeoIP2 gets it right every time.  Run by Maxminds.  As does google.  Right down to my town and my post code.

dvorak
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases


Moderators Note


This topic has been moved from Chat to Everything Else

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dvorak
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

That DB puts me a good couple of hundred miles away.

PN arent selling your location data. Your computer can be giving it away.
If you run it on your mobile that probably has your location anyway.
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Mook
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

I doubt they are selling this information @himmal, as you say in your post use any IP Location website, isn't that a clue in itself!

I have a static IPs and the tests I've done think I'm from any of Sheffield, Beckenham, Hythe, Dewsbury or Edinburgh and only one of them is close well within an hours drive at least.

jab1
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

@himmal As said earlier, PlusNet are not selling your location details - the geo-location providers such as the one you quote (and many more) exist to provide location data so that, for instance, a bus-tracker application on your phone, can give you useful data. It is pointless such an app giving you bus times for Glasgow if you are in say, Truro.

Only you (or someone who knows your IP) can see your location, and to be truthful I can't see what the problem is. It is possible to turn off location tracking on mobile devices, but not useful if you want local information. I guess it is also possible on laptops/PCs also, but probably a bit more complicated than on mobiles.

John
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases


@himmal wrote:

The one I'm using, GeoIP2 gets it right every time.  Run by Maxminds.  As does google.  Right down to my town and my post code.


So you think that Google needs the help of Plusnet to know where you live? I have tried many geolocation sites over the years from my fixed IP address and whilst receiving answers from Scotland to the south coast have never had a hit within 50 miles. 

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Marksfish
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases


@RobPN wrote:

@himmal 

Are you sure about that?

According to your theory I'm in (at least) three places simultaneously!

 


 Just down the road from me in #3 😀

jab1
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases


@Baldrick1 wrote:

@himmal wrote:

The one I'm using, GeoIP2 gets it right every time.  Run by Maxminds.  As does google.  Right down to my town and my post code.


So you think that Google needs the help of Plusnet to know where you live? I have tried many geolocation sites over the years from my fixed IP address and whilst receiving answers from Scotland to the south coast have never had a hit within 50 miles. 


Is this on a wired or wireless connection? My location is usually fairly accurate - but varies on where I am, which makes me think it is in some way connected to the 3/4/5G network?

John
RobPN
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases


@Marksfish wrote:

 

 Just down the road from me in #3 😀


 

No wonder I haven't seen you around - I'm nowhere near any of the locations they say I'm at!  Smiley

 

 

Edit:  added quote

Baldrick1
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

@jab1 

On both wired and wireless from my router. If using the mobile network your device knows where you are.

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jab1
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Re: Plus Net selling location data to third party databases

@Baldrick1 Thanks for that. I asked as plugging the laptop into the router is a bit of a pain, so I've not tried it - yet, Obviously if you are using a mobile network, your device knows where you are from the mast you connect to.

I imagine if you are using your home network, then the IP (at least on the PN 'new' network) kind of locates you as it will be connecting to a 'local' node. I could be wrong, though.

Still can't understand what the original OP is on about though.

John