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Re: [tor-talk] Logging in to Yahoo e-mail accounts now failing???

On 5/20/2011 6:45 AM, Curious Kid wrote:

From: grarpamp<grarpamp@xxxxxxxxx>
To: tor-talk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, May 20, 2011 10:17:02 AM
Subject: Re: [tor-talk] Logging in to Yahoo e-mail accounts now failing???

If yahoo is actually rejecting log-in attempts based on perceived
  geographical information, what do they think that they are achieving?

I  can speak for no one else... however I think that any provider of  online
services that does this is foolish.

Do we think they are actually doing this? I've used my Yahoo account all over
the world.

The timing of this is suspect. They are now rolling out Yahoo! Mail Beta. To use
it requires accepting their new terms of service and privacy policy.

 From http://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/details.html

When you register we ask for information such as your name, email  address,
birth date, gender, ZIP code, occupation, industry, and  personal interests.
There's no such thing as a free lunch. FYI - for the all - trusting users of "free" email providers, don't give your real information. There's no upside & lots of potential very bad down side. As far as the relatively new practice of Goggle & ? others ? asking for a cell # in some cases to verify your identity, any data they ask for as backup security measures (like security questions), or a phone # is stored in a data base. Other than them getting a phone # for marketing purposes, having additional security questions would probably provide sufficient security if they suspect "suspicious behavior" before one actually logs in. If someone actually gains access to your acct, then a provider having a phone # is irrelevant (unless they show it in your acct). If the phone # is shown in acct settings (don't know - never gave them one), hackers gaining access now have that.
If hackers get in your acct, security is out the window. If they're trying, but being asked for backup ID info, many types of info would provide sufficient security. Their argument is probably, "the user has to physically possess the (cell) phone to receive security related correspondence from the provider." Maybe, but I imagine the real reason is to get around the telemarketing "no call" laws. Once you have an established "business relationship" w/ a company (by signing up for their service & giving an address, valid phone #), technically they are exempt from no - call telemarketing laws.
Security questions provide no marketing advantages for them. Note: I never give "normal" answers to security questions. Oldest sibling's name might be "krankcace," etc. If you put "lady gaga" as favorite singer, you might deserve to have an acct hacked.:) Google, Yahoo, etc., apparently believe it necessary to employ much greater security techniques than banks, Fidelity, Vanguard, etc. 
  For
some financial products and services we might  also ask for your address, Social
Security number, and information about  your assets.
If users give Yahoo, Google (or services marketing through them) an SSN, good luck. There's probably no end to amount of junk mail you'll receive based on your credit scores. 
Yahoo! displays targeted advertisements based on personal information. ...
Yahoo! provides personally relevant product features, content,  advertising,
spam and malware detection by analyzing your email.  Some  of these features and
advertising will be based on our understanding of  the content and meaning of
your emails.  For instance, we analyze email  messages to identify key elements
of meaning and then categorize this  information for immediate and * future * use.
Don't write anything in email that you wouldn't want the world to know, unless 1st compose it outside of their websites & then encrypting the file, before sending by email. 


By using the Services, you consent to allow Yahoo!âs automated systems  to scan
and analyze all incoming and outgoing communications content  sent and received
from your account... If you  consent to this ATOS and communicate with
non-Yahoo! users using the  Services, you are responsible for notifying those
users about this  feature.
Companies w/ these types of policies scan your friends' correspondence with you, as well as yours. Don't write anything in "normal" email that you wouldn't want the world to know. Why this practice is deemed legal in some countries, don't know. By contrast, persons have been prosecuted for "hacking" into their spouse's email.
A lot of people correspond w/ doctors, lawyers by email. Do you really want that type of info being "analyzed" (& info stored "for future use")? There should be some "expectation of privacy" for email, but there isn't. Unless you want to catch a cheating spouse - then you might be prosecuted. 

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