Comments on: Build-A-Bear's private information seduction system http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: jdharper http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-109575 jdharper Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-109575 I think that y'all are over-reacting a little here. They actually use this data for good, not evil. As I understand it, each bear has its own unique ID number. If someone loses their bear, and someone else finds it and turns it into the shop, the shop can look up that number, find the child's name, address, and phone number, and contact them to let them know that their bear is OK. Every bit of information that's listed in the excerpt can be used for good: Contact info for returning lost bears, birthday for sending birthday cards, and gender for personalizing messages sent from the company to the child. And seriously, if you're worried that the Build-a-Bear Workshop knows that your little Sally is a girl, you've got paranoia issues. I think that y’all are over-reacting a little here.

They actually use this data for good, not evil. As I understand it, each bear has its own unique ID number. If someone loses their bear, and someone else finds it and turns it into the shop, the shop can look up that number, find the child’s name, address, and phone number, and contact them to let them know that their bear is OK.

Every bit of information that’s listed in the excerpt can be used for good: Contact info for returning lost bears, birthday for sending birthday cards, and gender for personalizing messages sent from the company to the child.

And seriously, if you’re worried that the Build-a-Bear Workshop knows that your little Sally is a girl, you’ve got paranoia issues.

]]> By: insomma http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-109578 insomma Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-109578 @JDHARPER Yeah but you could still do all those good things with only an email address. IF my bear is lost, email me, and I'll email you my home address. What if build-a-bear employs someone that they shouldn't? They get access to my kid's data? @JDHARPER

Yeah but you could still do all those good things with only an email address. IF my bear is lost, email me, and I’ll email you my home address. What if build-a-bear employs someone that they shouldn’t? They get access to my kid’s data?

]]> By: Elizabeth5587 http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-207901 Elizabeth5587 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-207901 Unfortunately, just like many of these blogs, people have posted who really have no idea what they are talking about. In fact, the only reason I signed up for this discussion board was to set the facts straight. I have worked at Build-a-Bear for over five years, and I would like to think I know a little something about all this. So: Build-a-Bear Workshop DOES NOT ask for anyone's phone number on our Name Me computers. Never have, never will. The information on these computers is uploaded to the main database nightly, so each employee really has very little opportunity to go back and take our guests' information. Besides, once their personalized barcode leaves the store with their new stuffed animal, there is absolutely no way to go back and find that guest's personal information. We actually do get about 1000 animals per year returned to Headquarters and sent back to guests' homes. That may not seem like a lot, but it certainly is more than you would think. It seems some people really do recognize the Build-a-Bear name as wholesomen and a safe place for kids. If a guest wants to, they can skip every bit of information asked on the Name Me computers. The only thing they need to fill out is their animal's name and their first name. That's it!! Overall, this "personal" information is much, much less than required by many other websites and stores, and there is no reason that parents should be afraid that Build-a-Bear is using their information. Unfortunately, just like many of these blogs, people have posted who really have no idea what they are talking about. In fact, the only reason I signed up for this discussion board was to set the facts straight. I have worked at Build-a-Bear for over five years, and I would like to think I know a little something about all this. So:

Build-a-Bear Workshop DOES NOT ask for anyone’s phone number on our Name Me computers. Never have, never will.

The information on these computers is uploaded to the main database nightly, so each employee really has very little opportunity to go back and take our guests’ information. Besides, once their personalized barcode leaves the store with their new stuffed animal, there is absolutely no way to go back and find that guest’s personal information.

We actually do get about 1000 animals per year returned to Headquarters and sent back to guests’ homes. That may not seem like a lot, but it certainly is more than you would think. It seems some people really do recognize the Build-a-Bear name as wholesomen and a safe place for kids.

If a guest wants to, they can skip every bit of information asked on the Name Me computers. The only thing they need to fill out is their animal’s name and their first name. That’s it!!

Overall, this “personal” information is much, much less than required by many other websites and stores, and there is no reason that parents should be afraid that Build-a-Bear is using their information.

]]> By: Brian Carnell http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-109612 Brian Carnell Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-109612 "They actually use this data for good, not evil. As I understand it, each bear has its own unique ID number. If someone loses their bear, and someone else finds it and turns it into the shop, the shop can look up that number, find the child's name, address, and phone number, and contact them to let them know that their bear is OK." Hmm...so that's what they use it for. I'd like to know just how often someone loses a stuffed animal and someone not only finds it but returns it to a Build-A-Bear store. Seems fairly unlikely and a convoluted process for a lost toy. My daughter loves Build-a-Bear but the counter clerk always gives us this strange look when we check out with the the birth certificate. And I'm always thinking, hey I just dropped $80 on a stuffed animal and accessories. If we don't want the birth certificate, let it go. I've offered to let my daughter get the birth certificate, but she takes my view that it's a hassle because typically all of the computer stations are in use and she just wants to go play with the bear, not fill out electronic forms. “They actually use this data for good, not evil. As I understand it, each bear has its own unique ID number. If someone loses their bear, and someone else finds it and turns it into the shop, the shop can look up that number, find the child’s name, address, and phone number, and contact them to let them know that their bear is OK.”

Hmm…so that’s what they use it for. I’d like to know just how often someone loses a stuffed animal and someone not only finds it but returns it to a Build-A-Bear store. Seems fairly unlikely and a convoluted process for a lost toy.

My daughter loves Build-a-Bear but the counter clerk always gives us this strange look when we check out with the the birth certificate. And I’m always thinking, hey I just dropped $80 on a stuffed animal and accessories. If we don’t want the birth certificate, let it go.

I’ve offered to let my daughter get the birth certificate, but she takes my view that it’s a hassle because typically all of the computer stations are in use and she just wants to go play with the bear, not fill out electronic forms.

]]> By: Brian Carnell http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-109613 Brian Carnell Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-109613 OOps...that should have said "check out *without* the birth certificate." OOps…that should have said “check out *without* the birth certificate.”

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-109621 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-109621 If supposedly "primitive" societies don't find it difficult to raise their children with the understanding that one NEVER gives out one's True Name (to foil sorcery), why is it so hard for us? If supposedly “primitive” societies don’t find it difficult to raise their children with the understanding that one NEVER gives out one’s True Name (to foil sorcery), why is it so hard for us?

]]> By: License Farm http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-109630 License Farm Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-109630 As the uncle of a ever-more tech savvy seven-and-a-half year old (seriously, the kid schooled me in Wii Bowling), I wonder how much of other online-affiliated kids toys and games imbed more info than is necessary (or, depending on your definition of "necessary," appropriate), and what is done with said info after the fact. With the growing trend, including such fads as Neopets and Webkins, I'd say it's less a question of if than when some skeevy fuck perpetrates a violation. Conversely, consumer profiling could begin in the womb and dogs one for life, which is in its way almost a greater violation. I actually came close to working at a Build-A-Bear in NYC a couple years back. I think they're generally looking for women, though. Guys like stuffed aminals, too! *sob* As the uncle of a ever-more tech savvy seven-and-a-half year old (seriously, the kid schooled me in Wii Bowling), I wonder how much of other online-affiliated kids toys and games imbed more info than is necessary (or, depending on your definition of “necessary,” appropriate), and what is done with said info after the fact. With the growing trend, including such fads as Neopets and Webkins, I’d say it’s less a question of if than when some skeevy fuck perpetrates a violation. Conversely, consumer profiling could begin in the womb and dogs one for life, which is in its way almost a greater violation.

I actually came close to working at a Build-A-Bear in NYC a couple years back. I think they’re generally looking for women, though. Guys like stuffed aminals, too! *sob*

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-394403 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-394403 There is no rule the information must be that of the child who is receiving the bear. All of my daughter's birth certificates are printed with my name, date of birth, etc. There is no rule the information must be that of the child who is receiving the bear. All of my daughter’s birth certificates are printed with my name, date of birth, etc.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-109513 EH Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-109513 Another reason why there will never be a law criminalizing the corporate mishandling of personal information. Another reason why there will never be a law criminalizing the corporate mishandling of personal information.

]]> By: Club Special http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-120273 Club Special Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-120273 You should check out the following directory for a great source of information on Seduction and Dating and anything of that nature: http://www.datingandseduction.com/ With over 8000 web pages, how could you go wrong? You should check out the following directory for a great source of information on Seduction and Dating and anything of that nature:

http://www.datingandseduction.com/

With over 8000 web pages, how could you go wrong?

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-338154 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-338154 In this new build-a-bear site that's kind of like club penguin, you type in the id number or something and you can play with your stuffed animal online. In this new build-a-bear site that’s kind of like club penguin, you type in the id number or something and you can play with your stuffed animal online.

]]> By: metapede http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-110831 metapede Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-110831 I suppose that parents' fear of MySpace and Facebook is about protecting their children from sexual predators and other would-be miscreants - i.e. other users. Most parents are probably not so concerned with protecting their children from MySpace and Facebook themselves. Same would hold true for Build-a-Bear. I suppose that parents’ fear of MySpace and Facebook is about protecting their children from sexual predators and other would-be miscreants – i.e. other users. Most parents are probably not so concerned with protecting their children from MySpace and Facebook themselves. Same would hold true for Build-a-Bear.

]]> By: escowles http://boingboing.net/2008/01/21/buildabears-private.html#comment-109553 escowles Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-109553 I would certainly hope that everybody would see through this -- and any other loyalty and/or personalization (read: data-collection) these days. I used it as an opportunity to talk with my daughter about who to give out our address and phone number to. I would certainly hope that everybody would see through this — and any other loyalty and/or personalization (read: data-collection) these days. I used it as an opportunity to talk with my daughter about who to give out our address and phone number to.

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