Some serious next-level bullshit, it is scary what is out there on you, your history, and your detailed past. This made me want to huddle in a dark closet sucking my thumb while shivering.
I wish I could like this more than once, because using "datum" gets a few likes on its own.
I share your concerns, and I've not had a peek at my full records as you have. That said, I have looked myself up on various sites over the years and have been amused at how inexplicably wrong some have been. More than one has me listed as living with my ex-spouse *and* his current wife (we divorced ~25 years ago) in their new home.
When I was doing the college prof thing, I refused to use any part of their SSNs as identification because of the privacy violation. Instead, I handed out info cards for them to answer questions for me on. Each card had a unique four-digit number; I told them that was the number their exam scores would be posted by (I taught multiple large sections of the course). A few rolled their eyes and grumbled back then, but I hope some remember and appreciate my small effort to respect their privacy.
When I was in college, my ID number was my SSN. We never thought twice about that, it just was ... *normal*.
Oh, my permanent record had some errors. But what was really creepy was that it caught where I lived when I was a roommate and not listed on the lease. Still, they were able to place me in that house because of the 8 months or so I got mail there.
Unfortunately, I do not think this is ever going to get better. The volume of data has grown so much, and hell, Meta (facebook) builds a profile of you, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ACCOUNT.
I wish I could like this more than once, because using "datum" gets a few likes on its own.
I share your concerns, and I've not had a peek at my full records as you have. That said, I have looked myself up on various sites over the years and have been amused at how inexplicably wrong some have been. More than one has me listed as living with my ex-spouse *and* his current wife (we divorced ~25 years ago) in their new home.
When I was doing the college prof thing, I refused to use any part of their SSNs as identification because of the privacy violation. Instead, I handed out info cards for them to answer questions for me on. Each card had a unique four-digit number; I told them that was the number their exam scores would be posted by (I taught multiple large sections of the course). A few rolled their eyes and grumbled back then, but I hope some remember and appreciate my small effort to respect their privacy.
When I was in college, my ID number was my SSN. We never thought twice about that, it just was ... *normal*.
Oh, my permanent record had some errors. But what was really creepy was that it caught where I lived when I was a roommate and not listed on the lease. Still, they were able to place me in that house because of the 8 months or so I got mail there.
Unfortunately, I do not think this is ever going to get better. The volume of data has grown so much, and hell, Meta (facebook) builds a profile of you, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ACCOUNT.
Same for me in college; I didn't like it but really had no choice. (Privacy is a big reason why libertarianism pulled me in.)
That is creepy... and maybe that info is in my full file too; it hasn't been anywhere I've been able to look for free.
I've never had a Zuck account of any kind, in large part because I didn't want them to know anything about me, so that really cheeses my onions.