Update at end of post.
Boing Boing reader Chris Hoofnagle of EPIC says:
As part of my work at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, I scan direct marketing publications to see how companies are selling your personal information. This data sale appeared today in Direct Marketing News. It proposes to sell the personal information of those who subscribe to "an online digital music community…These consumers pay anywhere from $9.00 to $19.99 a month to gain access to a diverse catalog of over 500,000 music downloads in a variety of genres from top independent labels." The "datacard" says that the company has race, age, gender, religion, and income information on the subscribers. I'm wondering what music subscription site is selling their members' data! Would anyone at the in the Boing Boing community know what company it is?
BB reader thegrubbykid was the first to say:
I did a google search for "500,000 music downloads $19.99" and came up with a cnet review of eMusic. [3] Relevant quotes which match the data sale info are:
=====
users are still rewarded with unlimited playing, burning, and transferring of files provided in the nearly universally supported MP3 format.
…
You must subscribe to one of three plans: choose 40 downloads for $9.99, 65 downloads for $14.99, or 90 downloads for $19.99. Though eMusic's per-song price works out to be a comparatively cheap 22 to 25 cents, those who prefer the freedom of a la carte downloading (and more mainstream music) are better off with open-handed stores such as iTunes and Wal-Mart Music Downloads.
…
eMusic carried 500,000 high-quality MP3 files from 1,200 independent music labels, many of which cannot be found at competing online music stores
=====This is pretty circumstantial, but this could be a healthy lead. Use the google query "500,000 music downloads $19.99 $9.99" and all you get are eMusic links/reviews and spam links.
Many other BB readers wrote in with exactly the same conclusion. Reader Patita points us to this ToS excerpt from the eMusic site:
Our Disclosure of Your Information
We may make your information available to others:[a few bullets down:] Who are trusted third parties (e.g., promotional partners and advertisers) so that they can promote their products and services and those of their affiliates and partners based on your preferences and interests. You may "opt out" of such disclosure(s) to the extent they include your personally identifiable information by sending an email at any time to service@emusic.com indicating your intent to do so. If you consent to share your personally identifiable information with such trusted third parties, their use of such information is subject to their own privacy policies;
Update: Et tu, iPod? Chris Hoofnagle points us to this listing:
iPod Generation List Service Direct Inc.
New List
Description: This file contains individuals who have purchased an iPod MP3 player. Selects: more than 2.1 million total file, 3-month hotline, geography, income, age, gender, marital status, mail order buyer, magazine subscriber, computer owner, donor, ethnicity, religion, book buyer, credit card holder, homeowner, length of residence and age of child present
Contact: your list broker or List Service Direct Inc., 2 Christie Heights Street, Leonia, NJ 07605
Phone: 201/585-1447;
Fax: 201/585-1732
E-Mail: info@listservicedirect.com
Thread continued here, with denial of data reselling by eMusic.
