I use T-Mobile for my data plan on my iPad. Here's my experience:
1. Followed the link from the Gizmodo article to the T-Mobile page to opt-out.
2. Logged in to T-Mobile. They send a 6-digit security code.
3. Forced password reset (due to age). They send another 6-digit security code.
4. New password, so new login. Another 6-digit security code.
5. Finally make it to the opt-out page. Instead of an opt-out checkbox, it's a Material component that is malfunctioning. If you switch it, it looks off. If you switch it again, it turns on briefly then turns off again.
6. I hope that hitting it an odd number of times is "on" even though it looks off.
I had the same experience with the toggle on my iPhone, except that after toggling it a few times I refreshed the page and _it disappeared entirely_. No idea if I have opted out or not. Truly terrible design.
Just as a counter anecdote, though, I got the email from T-Mobile explaining the change a couple weeks ago, and I was able to click a link in the email which took me straight to the opt-out page (I did have to log in), and I unchecked all the toggles. It all worked and was not difficult.
So I wonder what broke between the time I did it and the time you did. (I did it on a Mac in Safari so I’m thinking the usual “only works in Chrome” isn’t the answer)
I hope companies will realize that it is all smoke and mirrors organized by the big ad techs and the efficiency of ads is far from what they announce... They are the only ones that win in that scheme, users are victims and companies buying ads are complicit... I'm also really annoyed it pervaded podcasts and videos so much, it become harder amd harder to do the difference between poorly paid actors (whose purpose of the video is first to show ads and then content) and genuine video makers...
Your provider can roughly know your location. They probably know your age and sex. They know what names you request from their DNS. They can know what you request from an unencrypted website. They can know when you are most actively using their service. If you are using some streaming service they offer to their customers, they can know all about how you use it. They know your IP at any given moment.
All of this together makes for very useful data to advertisers even if they can't obviously link it to any specific viewer. They can group people together based on common characteristics (age group x in city y likes to do this at time z), which the article calls "audience categories". If paying advertisers want to know which category a visiting user likely belongs to, T-Mobile can offer them a way to request category information for a given IP at a given time.
"The company, for its part, promised the Wall Street Journal that it was defaulting to this new setting because “many say they prefer more relevant ads,”
I wonder how "many" actually reach out to carriers to say things like this?
All the robocalls are my biggest concern for example. Reaching out to the carrier about more relevant ads is not fathomable to me.
[+] [-] jfk13|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] blinktag|5 years ago|reply
1. Followed the link from the Gizmodo article to the T-Mobile page to opt-out.
2. Logged in to T-Mobile. They send a 6-digit security code.
3. Forced password reset (due to age). They send another 6-digit security code.
4. New password, so new login. Another 6-digit security code.
5. Finally make it to the opt-out page. Instead of an opt-out checkbox, it's a Material component that is malfunctioning. If you switch it, it looks off. If you switch it again, it turns on briefly then turns off again.
6. I hope that hitting it an odd number of times is "on" even though it looks off.
7. The "Done" button does not work.
How is this okay?
[+] [-] allengeorge|5 years ago|reply
I also wanted to know which UX/UI designers put together the password reset process, which was pretty infuriating.
[+] [-] chadlavi|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] burlesona|5 years ago|reply
Just as a counter anecdote, though, I got the email from T-Mobile explaining the change a couple weeks ago, and I was able to click a link in the email which took me straight to the opt-out page (I did have to log in), and I unchecked all the toggles. It all worked and was not difficult.
So I wonder what broke between the time I did it and the time you did. (I did it on a Mac in Safari so I’m thinking the usual “only works in Chrome” isn’t the answer)
[+] [-] lotsofpulp|5 years ago|reply
FCC or others that can do something in the government don’t care or are otherwise incentivized to look the other way.
[+] [-] cascom|5 years ago|reply
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26305590
[+] [-] wakkaflokka|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] amelius|5 years ago|reply
Because I'm getting tired of all these stories. When will it stop?
[+] [-] ta988|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ArkanExplorer|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] boomlinde|5 years ago|reply
All of this together makes for very useful data to advertisers even if they can't obviously link it to any specific viewer. They can group people together based on common characteristics (age group x in city y likes to do this at time z), which the article calls "audience categories". If paying advertisers want to know which category a visiting user likely belongs to, T-Mobile can offer them a way to request category information for a given IP at a given time.
[+] [-] arbuge|5 years ago|reply
I wonder how "many" actually reach out to carriers to say things like this?
All the robocalls are my biggest concern for example. Reaching out to the carrier about more relevant ads is not fathomable to me.
[+] [-] pixxel|5 years ago|reply
“Do you prefer ads that are not relevant to you, or ads that are relevant?”
No third option of no ads whatsoever.
[+] [-] brnt|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] lukec11|5 years ago|reply