Plusnet is tracking me

[#1]

If you go to https://www.plus.net/my.html?action=modifyMailOptions

You will see the following:-

As you will see, they don't look at your full browsing history - so just some of it?

They want to know the types of websites you visit and for how long and when...

If I had a Plusnet TV service they want to know if I'm skipping the adverts...

Does this mean that I need to pay for a VPN to protect my browsing habits from Plusnet's data mining?

I don't ever recall selling my user data to Plusnet.

How do I opt out?

What about the GDPR?

[#2]

Wow, I had no idea they tracked either of my Plusnet Youview boxes when using the FF function and thus may decide to cancel the service. I knew BT did this when they first offered BT Vision, hence this was one of the reasons why we walked from them.

Anyway, I'd say yes they monitor more than you may think. I raised this a while back and have pointed managers/gaffers towards my posts and nobody wants to reply.

fwiw, here's where I pointed 'stuff' out - https://community.plus.net/t5/Everything-else/How-does-the-Plusnet-Caching-Nework-actually-work/m-p/...

I'll never ever use an ISP supplied email service either, learned that from when I was with BT too.

edit. I've deliberately not updated my communications preferences for well over a year now, though the account only shows six months

If I find out they automatically opt me in then I really won't be a happy chappy.

[#3]

This is very worrying. I have opted out of receiving 'offers' by any method in the assumption that Plusnet would not be mining (i.e. spying and recording) my web use. I have no problem with checks for illegal use but this is unacceptable.

I shall be interested to read Plusnet's explanation.

[#4]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Tech Help to Feedback 

[#5]

I've been doing some reading

Any agreements between my family (including me) and Plusnet would only have been during the ordering of the services offered by Plusnet. We have not knowingly signed any 'big brother' agreements.

• As a straight talking provider we want you to understand why we need to collect personal information, how we use that information and to feel confident we'll protect it.

• You can access and update the information we hold about you using our online form. Once we've looked at your request, we'll let you know when you can expect to hear from us.

• You can opt out of receiving marketing from us at any time using the link provided in the email or SMS message (text message) we have sent you or just by telling us when we call you.

• You can ask us to correct, complete, delete or stop using any personal information we hold about you by using our online form

• In some cases, we might decide to keep information, even if you ask us not to. This could be for legal or regulatory reasons, so that we can keep providing our products and services, or for another legitimate reason. For example, we keep certain billing information to show we have charged you correctly. But we'll always tell you why we keep the information.

• We review our privacy policy regularly. We'll tell you if we change the policies, as set out in the section on how will we tell you about changes to the policy below.

• You can also ask us for a copy of the information we hold about you using our online form.

• BT Group companies and BT Group plc means BT, EE Ltd, Plusnet plc, Openreach Ltd, BT Communications Ireland Ltd, BT Business Direct Ltd, BT Cables Ltd, Tikit Ltd, BT Fleet Ltd, and Pelipod Ltd and the areas that make-up BT: Consumer, EE, Business and Public Sector, Global Services, Wholesale and Ventures, Technology, Service and Operations, Group Functions, BT Wifi, BT Shop and MyDonate.

• Browser records means the types of websites that you visit, as well as the date, time, length of your internet session, cell site and network used, device information, your data usage, your IP address, and the nature of the websites you view.

• Content means any part of a communication which shares the meaning of the communication. This could be the title of an email, the content of a text message or a recording of a voicemail.

• Personal information means information that identifies you as an individual, or is capable of doing so.

• TV records means details of the devices you use (including the device information), the channels, programmes and adverts you watch on them, the services you access, how long you watch and what actions you take when doing so, including how you view, record and fast-forward programmes.

The above from https://www.plus.net/help/legal/privacy-policy/

Regarding the last one, do you monitor what is watched via third party apps eg Netflix?

(I honestly never thought Plusnet would behave the same way as BT - I'm paying for the products and services, guess Plusnet are cheap as they make more money from me using other methods)

[#6]

[#7]

love this bit (not) in https://www.plus.net/help/legal/privacy-policy/#how-to-contact-us

BT Group is a large multinational organisation. Our binding corporate rules reflect how we operate. They include a list of countries (below) which are structured to allow us to transfer personal information to the countries where we have a presence. For us, after the UK and wider EU, India and the Philippines are where most of our processing of personal information takes place. Your personal information is used for customer or IT support or operations purposes in these countries. While our binding corporate rules allow us to transfer personal information to these countries, the information won't always include your personal information in every case. Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Gibraltar, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Isle of Man, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, British Virgin Islands, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Are any countries missing?

[#8]

The Bahamas.

[#9]

I note the resounding lack of response from Plusnet. Presumably they're hoping that we will forget about it and therefore objections can be ignored.

[#10]

---

@DS wrote:

I've been doing some reading

• You can also ask us for a copy of the information we hold about you using our online form.

Well, I filled in that online form (relating to the GDPR) - which asks for my username + name, address, phone & other irrelevant info that they already hold.

Didn't get any acknowledgement, yet.

[#11]

I was going to do the same, then somethings cropped up. So I have further questions to ask of Plusnet

Q) Define customer?

(is it the main account holder only or any users of the Plusnet products and/or services via the Plusnet network)

Q) Are all users profiled (some of those whom I've connected to the router are preteen)?

Q) Is there one 'profile file' per user?

Q) Do you only profile users over 18 years of age?

(if so how do you know how old each user is)

Q) Does filling in 'the form' once give ALL of the data for all users?

Q) If the form only needs to be filled out once, how do you treat other users data (ie friends) if it's requested by the main account holder only?

Q) When did Plusnet start doing all of this?

On paper, I'm not the main account holder, though I'm an authorised user of the account. So I need to know if just the main account holder needs to fill out the form or is it everybody that's ever connected to 'Plusnet' via our landline number?

(some are no longer in contact)

[#12]

I can see that a gaffer has replied on my linked topic, so I'm hopeful he or another may decide to reply here soonish.

(this topic has caused some tension here - I'll read that reply shortly and will reply on that topic too)

[#13]

6+ weeks later this issue is still outstanding.

I have received a letter from Plusnet, dated 18/05/2019 - on paper - in which they state:-

...The information you have communicated has been investigated and has been confirmed as erroneous on Plusnet’s side and will be removed. Plusnet does not gather this type of information....

However, Plusnet's web site still contains the "erroneous information".

[#14]

has been confirmed as erroneous on Plusnet’s side and will be removed. Plusnet does not gather this type of information....  ??

How many more erroneous customers have the same ?

[#15]

It’s text on a webpage - not sure what you’re point is here?