News.com and other websites reported today that Plaxo, is up for sale. The site which started out as an address book and moved into social networking is expecting to go for around the $100 million mark.
However, whomever buys Plaxo will also have access to all your data, and can do with it as they wish. This may include login details to sites like Facebook etc.
Plaxo is certified by TrustE (not to be confused with eTrust), but as we have seen Truste is completely worthless.
9 comments:
Dont get me started on Plaxo. They used to send out millions of spam emails before, trying to get you to sign up to their service. Its a pure waste of time.
They still do send out spam, Im still getting all these messages that someone tried to add me etc, they are almost as bad as Spock.
I like it. All my social stuff in one place.
Who on earth uses this? Its totally a waste of time when all your mates are on facebook.
Plaxo... sounds like Glaxo.
When you use a service like Plaxo you have to realise your data is theirs.
They are not doing this for the good of you, they are doing it make money.
The website has only 15 million users, probably only 1 million of which are active.
This means that they are looking for $100 per active user. its the data they are selling.
Some people never understand that how things work. What can you do?!
I won't comment too much on the rumors that Plaxo is for sale. As Ben Golub, Plaxo CEO, pointed out, denying rumors usually fans the flames of speculation - and like other rumors before this one, it simply isn't true.
But as for the ownership of member information, one of the unique provisions of the Plaxo Privacy Policy is the ownership rights it grants members regarding their information. Members have the right to access, update, and delete their information at any time—even in the event of a merger or acquisition.
The policy states that if we plan to use your information in a manner different from the manner stated at the time you joined Plaxo, you would have a choice as to whether or not we use your information in this new way. Plaxo will proactively notify you by sending an e-mail to your primary e-mail address and providing a reasonable amount of time for you to respond, typically 30 days. If you do not agree with the new policy, you will retain the right to completely delete your information from our service.
If we are unable to notify you because you declined all member communications, we will assume that you do not wish your information to be used in the new manner, and the information will continue to be used only under the conditions originally agreed upon.
This is posted in our FAQs and our Privacy information pages, and we firmly believe that it remains as one of the strongest policy in the industry.
Its very interesting, but Plaxo has almost become obsolete. There are a host of new services like spoke and even linkedin, where people actually trade information and sell other peoples details.
Regulation of these new services is going to prove very difficult indeed.
Post a Comment