this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2023
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Privacy

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[–] Boring@lemmy.ml 109 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

I created an account while in the store with an email of fuckyou@thisisstupid.com and a basic password and surprisingly didn't have to verify the email. Then turned on a VPN to my house.

I plan on just creating a new account every time I go in just to fill up their database with nonsense.

[–] asg101@hexbear.net 37 points 1 year ago (2 children)

GIGO (Garbage in, garbage out) is the correct way to deal with the surveillance system.

[–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 1 year ago

This makes me feel a lot better about ChatGPT garbage corrupting Google search results.

[–] Altecheon@ttrpg.network 1 points 1 year ago

Fun fact: Android developer options has a Disabled Persistent Mac address randomization toggle. Or at least Pixel phones do

[–] DannyMac@lemmy.world 33 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] glitch1985@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago

It is not. You need to add a number at the end.

[–] hperrin@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

inhell.info is available and Postfix is a thing.

[–] geekworking@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

You do realize that they are actually tracking the device itself by the hardware MAC address and other device fingerprints.

The email is just a bonus to let them legally spam you. Anti-spam laws have an exemption. If there's a prior business relationship like shopping in their stores, they can put you on their spam list unless you opt out.

Bogus email only helps for spam but doesn't do anything about tracking.

EDIT: For Android when there's a Captive Portal like the screen shot. devices will use Persistent randomization which while not the hardware MAC will remain the same for the same network where they can track your visits.

[–] Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Pretty much all modern phones randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network unless the user explicitly says not to do that.

[–] lemann@lemmy.one 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network

+1, had issues using Android devices for presence detection because of this very useful privacy feature. Even on your home network, the MAC address and device hostname get randomized, unless disabled in the settings

Edit: typo

[–] geekworking@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

When there's a Captive Portal like the screenshot, many devices use a random but persistent mac for that network avoid reauthorization after any network drop. This will make your access to the specific network trackable.

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

chuckles in GrapheneOS

(per-connection random MAC, for all networks, by default)

[–] Molecular0079@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is actually just part of stock Android. My Pixel 5 has MAC randomization on by default for new Wi-Fi networks.

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's per-network, not per-connection. Though that option does exist but is hidden away under developer settings.

[–] Molecular0079@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh you mean like per TCP connection?

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

It's not at the packet level - by default on gOS (and a dev option on stock pixels), every time you connect to a network, even ones you have connected to prior, you get a new random MAC. The standard aosp/pixels do one random but persistent MAC randomization. This only helps marginally from a privacy standpoint. Per-connection makes this data point useless, thereby increasing privacy.

[–] Boring@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

But can't you go manually forget the network in your device network options to circumvent this?

[–] Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg 1 points 1 year ago

I'd assume after a certain amount of time or after moving far enough away from the network it "forgets" the last randomized MAC address?

It doesn't really make sense to store these things long term.

[–] Boring@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

GrapheneOS let's me do a per-connection randomized MAC.

I'm sure they do collect a lot more about my device, but there's not much I can do about it short of wrapping my phone in tin foil.

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Don't forget to disable wifi and bluetooth before approaching the store, as those give off unique identifiers too.

[–] Zastyion345@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Don't forget to spoof your MAC address so they cant see who is making the fake accounts ;D

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 year ago

That's done automatically on mobile devices

[–] Xianshi@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago

This is the way. Fuck them.

[–] Maeve@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

Not Walmart, not wifi but my default is @gfy.com