TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 640.consprcy@1:2320/105 2c47dfe9   
   REPLY: 1:342/200 9e0d7fb9   
   PID: Synchronet 3.20a-Linux master/acc19483f Apr 26 202 GCC 12.2.0   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.20-Linux master/acc19483f Apr 26 2024 23:04 GCC 12.2.0   
   BBSID: CAPCITY2   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   RM> Yes.. I have a gMail address but almost no one has it   
   RM> But not much information that   
   RM> goes through there would be of any use.. Reminders that a bill is   
   RM> coming due or a thankyou that it's been paid, so they know I pay   
   RM> some common bills but no details are given out in those..   
      
   AT>That's a good point. I'm the same way. I don't use email for anything too   
     >important either, but the issue here is the chip on my shoulder about big   
   tec   
     >nd companies with big names.   
      
   Yes, and the other thing here is most companies and banks and such try   
   their best to force you to go with electronic statements rather than   
   mailing paper. They don't ask you to change, if you have an eMail address   
   they change you over and then tell you you can attempt to contact them   
   to change it back to paper if you want. But then they also do send out   
   notices by eMail that your Statements are available online, and often   
   will include the amount owing and the due date, but no account info   
   that could be used to let anyone else get at your accounts. It can be   
   handy to know the new bill amount and due date though so I've stopped   
   worrying about it too much. Never an error or problem in several years.   
      
   AT>It doesn't seem like a big deal if Google saw (for example) a receipt for my   
     >ctric bill, but the problem is that they are collectors of information   
      
   Yes, in a big way. They do offer some good services that we don't have   
   to pay for so they have to make some money off of us somewhere and   
   selling information about us seems to be the best way..   
      
   RM> I also don't use Google to search for things online.   
      
   AT>Despite everything I just said, I do use Google to search for most things,   
   bu   
     >here's no other search engine that I trust any further than I trust Google.   
      
   On that one I'm just about as bad. I prefer the results I get using Bing   
   instead of Google, but if I start getting targeted ads from them or   
   something I'd use a safer one like (I think) DuckDuckGo..   
      
   That said, possibly I'm just better protected due to my Browser.   
   I use Opera, a highly modified version of Chrome or Mozilla   
   depending on the year. I do more surfing and searching on my   
   Laptop than my phone but the version I have on the Laptop is   
   older and doesn't keep a count but the copy on my phone says   
   it has blocked 25,746 Ads and 61,803 Trackers so it seems to   
   be doing something there..   
      
   I get enough sites complaining bitterly or blocking me because   
   they can't send me ads (and they would never admit to Trackers)   
   that I feel Opera is doing a decent job.   
      
   ---   
    * SLMR Rob  * When I was a kid, I was an imaginary playmate   
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)   
   SEEN-BY: 105/81 106/201 128/187 129/305 153/7715 154/110 218/700 226/30   
   SEEN-BY: 227/114 229/110 111 114 206 300 307 317 400 426 428 470 664   
   SEEN-BY: 229/700 705 266/512 291/111 320/219 322/757 342/200 396/45   
   SEEN-BY: 460/58 712/848 902/26 2320/0 105 3634/12 5075/35   
   PATH: 2320/105 229/426