BlockShopper: Privacy Concerns?
I've never done a deep dive into BlockShopper, although I probably quickly checked out the site when I heard about the Jones Day lawsuit. Todd Bishop has a piece in TechFlash that notes the arrival of BlockShopper in Seattle ("Stop the Presses; Some Guy From Microsoft Just Bought a House"). As the piece notes, BlockShopper matches up real estate purchase data with data from LinkedIn/Facebook (etc.). Todd's piece makes the whole process seem benign, but the reaction of Redfin's Director of Online Marketing on Twitter (Matt Goyer) made it seem less so:
This is a great example of how data from different sources can be pieced together to complete a picture of a person. People disclose it in bits and pieces but don't necessarily expect that it will be combined. At the end of the day, I can't really see anyone complaining to BlockShopper since it's using publicly available information (I think). Put another way, there are no existing legal rules (from an end user standpoint) that prohibit what BlockShopper is doing (matching one piece of publicly available information about you with another).Blown away by seattle.blockshopper.com which mashes public sale records with social network info from Facebook and LinkedIn. Freaky.
Can Facebook/LinkedIn Stop BlockShopper? I wonder if BlockShopper's search and matching process is truly human or whether any part of it is automated. Seems like they may take some heat from Facebook/LinkedIn (etc.) (See, e.g., Facebook v. Power.com.) Whether Facebook/LinkedIn can control the use of the data it holds and prevent BlockShopper from accessing it depends on the efficacy of their terms of service and whether BlockShopper and/or its employees agreed to the terms. It also depends on how BlockShopper accesses the information. (My instinct is that there is probably some scraping going on somewhere, and courts are typically inclined to prevent this practice under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.) Another key question (probably the more important question) is whether the Facebook/LinkedIn data is publicly viewable-is it available via a Google search? [Most Facebook/LinkedIn users cannot precisely answer these questions, and to me it illustrates how little control we have over the information once its released into the ether.]
Can Users Complain to Facebook? This would have been a good example to have seen discussed in the FTC's Report. Do users of Facebook/LinkedIn expect that the data provided to Facebook or LinkedIn would be matched up with real estate data? Do they have cause to complain? Probably not. At the end of the day, I'm guessing Facebook and LinkedIn make the information available in accordance with the privacy settings selected by the user, and that's the end of the story. Still, I guess users who make their information publicly available should expect the information will be used for anything, but this is probably a use that the average user did not anticipate. (Added: I guess this sort of highlights the importance of Facebook's terms of service, since a broad license could allow Facebook to just license the information to BlockShopper, or Zillow, or Redfin . . . .)
(It's also interesting that the EFF supported BlockShopper, I wonder what their views are on BlockShopper's practices. I'm guessing if there was any concern, that they viewed the "no link" policy sought to be imposed by Jones Day as the greater evil.)
Added: this 2007 Chicago Tribune article says BlockShopper has a two person staff:
How does BlockShopper do it? Timpone and his two-person writing team work from a list of Cook County home sales released weekly by a record information service. Then they simply mine the Net, often starting with Google.
the only way to stop these people is going to be via a grassroots effort outside of the courts.
http://stopblockshopper.orgfree.com/
Reply to this
Everything I read basically says they are a much more cost effective version of community news and the community generally loves it. From what I read from this gal above, she seems to think her superexpensive home purchase and career are both public and private at the same time.
It will be hard to organize a grassroots campaign AGAINST a site people seem to like - aren't you just advertising for them more?
A little voice in my head says to me that you are actually making sure Blockshopper is EVEN more widely read!
Reply to this
Considering that this week the founder of the www.OptOutMovement.org site received threatening phone calls from Brian Timpone- the founder of Blockshopper- then I think we can be assured he's not working for them! They threatened libel and slander lawsuits if the site isn't shut down. And yet THEY are claiming freedom of speech and public information............ironic isn't it?
Reply to this
We need to contact our state legislators to do something about this situation. It should not be up to blockshopper to allow us to opt out. This is a privacy and safety issue. Even in the information age we have a right to have our privacy protected. The opt out option is only available for peace officers and others with sensitive jobs or individuals who have restraining orders. It should be available to everyone and not a blockshopper's discretion. The public should not be pawns for the individual's money making venture. Keep up the good work!
Reply to this
While the concept may be allowable, attaching a person's photograph to their physical home address (and unit number) is not just a privacy violation, it is a security issue. stopblockshopper has been taken down for some TOS violation, but I am keenly interested in forcing blockshopper to allow edits/removal of data from their site.
Anyone with information or tips please contact me on c_h_i_c_a_g_o_d_o_m_AT_y_a_h_o_o_DOT_c_o_m Thanks!
Reply to this
Worse things have happened since all of this went on. It was only a matter of time. Read this...
http://www.blockshoppervictim.com/
Reply to this
i just found this site BLOCKSHOPPER that lists my name and address online for the world to see (defeating the purpose of shredding my junkmail).
now ID theft is easier than ever. Can we stop them? i will contact authorities.
Reply to this
Google my name, and the first thing you see is my address. Complain and they tell you to contact their "Legal/First Amendment" team. How dangerous is this? Somebody is going to be harmed or killed so these jerks can make a few bucks.
Reply to this
How is it these scumbags can use our names to profit their business? Don't we own them? Our home information may be in the public domain, but how is it they can use our names to link to their business? These people are utterly despicable. They don't care what harm they do to people as long as they make a few bucks.
Reply to this
This poses grave security concerns. In 1991, access to DMV records in California was restricted following the slaying of actress Rebecca Schaeffer. Her murderer had found her home address through the DMV. Now, thanks to blockshopper, a simple google search will do.
The geniuses at blockshopper argue that the information they post is public county records. The big difference is that county records are not searcheable by name, just by address.
This issue will be resolved legislatively, when members of Congress start receiving constituents' complaints at their home addresses (courtesy of blockshopper). Start writing! (you can locate your federal legislators at www.congress.org - just enter your zip code)
Reply to this
Here is an email sent out as a chain email a few months ago.
It was on the blockshoppervictim site, until Blockshopper's attorney's forced the web host to take the site down.
Pass this on, and follow the suggestions- Hopefully these people can be stopped.
Dear all,
I'm not one to take part in chain emails, or public crusades for that matter. For those of you who know me, despite my political convictions, you know I'm far too busy for such activity. Further, that governmental intervention is usually the last thing I look or hope for.
When Googling your name, typically there is a lot of interesting information available. However, a new site, Blockshopper.com outdoes it all. Blockshopper passes themselves off to be a "Real Estate" site with a twist- they utilize information obtained from public databases and social websites such as Facebook, Linkedin, etc..., and create stories about those buying or selling their house.
Blockshopper mines public databases such as those of county records, and if your house is not in trust, they create a special web page just for you (really just for them)- complete with yours and your spouses name, home address, and what you paid for your home. A map pointing out your home is always included. Further, they SEO (search engine optimaize) the page so that it comes up on the first or second page of Google should a search be accomplished on your name.
If you're really lucky, as so many seem to be, there will be a corresponding article about you, your spouse, both of your job histories, your children and where they go to school.
Blockshopper does not return telephone calls, and refuses to allow an opt-out since Real Estate information is "public". "There is no legal requirement to remove information", touted one of their founders, Brian Timpone of Chicago in an interview.
There is a way to remove your current address from Blockshopper and thus Google- move. (I'm told that sealing your public record with a court order is a possibility, though difficult to accomplish.) Putting your house in trust after the fact doesn't work- they keep the last known names on their special page.
While I do not wish to debate the legalities of their 1st amendment claims, one thing is clear: In the past, one would have to know where you lived to pull up information about your home address from the appropriate county web site. Just a few years ago, they would have needed to obtain the information from County Records via standard mail. Now, courtesy of Blockshopper, a single Google Search will provide such information via your specially created page on Blockshopper.
I pulled mine up (my last name in this email is an alias) while in Europe last week- no article, but the basic information was there- and on the second Google search page with a title in big letters. Personally I'm of the believe that publicly available doesn't necessarily mean readily and instantly available.
Continued:
Reply to this
Continued from previous:
Just your name and Google- and it will be on the first couple of search pages from anywhere in the world.
There has already been at least one attack reported due to the site's callousness:
www.blockshoppervictim..com
Though I can not confirm that the story is true, it most certainly could be.
I would encourage the following:
Exercise your right to the first amendment, and at the very least send this to as many people on your email list as possible.
If you are a Realtor, let Blockshoper know you will not work with them until they offer an opt-out. Tell your national association how you feel.
If you work with or use products from those who advertise on their site, be sure to let them know you are boycotting them.
Let organizations for missing and battered women and children know about Blockshopper.
Pull up your favorite congressman- then let them know how you feel by including the Blockshopper information obtained off of Google/Blockshopper in the letter.
And if you're feeling really creative, a Youtube video like "United Breaks Guitars" could make national news. Dave Carroll brought one of the worlds largest airlines to its knees for wrecking a ~$500 guitar, and not reimbursing him.
Lastly, feel free to let the owners of Blockshopper know how you feel- though I most certainly do not condone behavior encouraged by the following sites, their home addresses and phone can be found here:
http://www.blockshoppervictim.com/msgboard/viewforum.php?f=2
http://blockshopper.blogspot.com/
Blockshopper has options which would show decency, while maintaining their business model- they could keep the stories (basic information if there is no story attached) and remove last names and children by request. They simply choose not to, since they feel they have "no legal obligation".
Thank you for your help, and I hope with enough pressure, something will be done before more acts of violence against every day people take place; people like your family and mine.
Reply to this
Here is the owner of Blockshopper and his home phone number - feel free to contact him and let him know how you feel - pass this number along and post it in as many places on the internet as you can - thanks!
Timothy and Elizabeth Landon
2704 Bennett
Evanston, Illinois
847.332.2021
Reply to this
Hello everyone
Just recently I have discovered that this company is putting my name and address online without any authorization, now anyone with google can find my name from my address and vice versa. i have contacted them to remove the info but they declined forcing me to move on to the next step ie file an official complaint. Anyone had this problem too?
Reply to this
Hello everyone
Just recently I have discovered that this BS company is putting my name and address online without any authorization, now anyone with google can find my name from my address and vice versa. i have contacted them to remove the info but they declined forcing me to move on to the next step ie file an official complaint. Anyone had this problem too?
Reply to this
Jonat- Did they provide you with any information on how to file an official complaint? All they gave me was the option to send them yet more personal info in the form of court records. As I noted above- I'm not inclined to do that!
Reply to this
I too have recently experienced this problem with blockshopper. As someone posted above- they appear to be within the technical letter of the law. But it is also true that public records have never before been searchable just by someone's name. Blockshopper has demolished that one piece of protection. They have refused to remove my name unless I send them additional information in the form of court records regarding the stalker I had in the past. Providing them with MORE personal information is the last thing I'm going to do. Interestingly: when they responded to me the 3rd time- they used my last name although I had not given it to them and had not identified the piece of property yet. All they had was my email address......Also, of their 4 main partners, only one has his information on the site! WRITE YOUR LEGISLATORS!! We need to bring this to attention. For the writer above who thinks that the public actually likes this- I think they just aren't fully aware of what this means yet. Victims of crime, mental health counselors, victims of spousal abuse, law enforcement officers, attorneys, teachers, coaches, etc....... this affects all of us, and some more severely than others. GET INVOLVED! Write, complain, protest- it's the only way to change this!
Reply to this
If anybody is still interested in taking on Blockshopper, please contact me at [email protected]. I am trying to gather the troops for a coordinated campaign. Nothing crazy, we just need people who are willing to write e-mails and/or letters.
Reply to this
Thanks for your work Darren. I too have had many problems with BlockShopper. I sincerely believe they are ruining the Internet and America. I have always been against Government regulation until I ran into the BlockShopper ScumBags. The Jones Day lawsuit against them was a big win for privacy advocates, but do you have to be a Mega Law Firm with 2500 lawyers to get privacy rights in America?
Reply to this
Ok, everyone, we have a NEW ORGANIZATION devoted to getting Blockshopper to allow people to opt-out from their listings. We have a plan. To read it and join in, go to:
www.OptOutMovement.org
If you're ticked off at Blockshopper and ready to do something about it, the Blockshopper Opt Out Movement (BOOM) wants you. To properly execute our plans, we need numbers and that's where you come in!
Reply to this
I believe that Jones Day lost/settled out of court. They knew they couldn't approach this as a privacy issue because the laws aren't in place. So they tried suing for copyright infringement on the basis of blockshopper using the Jones Day name on their website w/out permission. It didn't go very far. Apparently the only way you can protect your name as a copyright is if you are a famous actor, musician, etc. who really does have copyright priveleges. Even in these circumstances, blockshopper doesn't follow the rules consistently.
Reply to this
The problem with what Blockshopper is the way it makes it very easy for the malicious and the ill to find out where people live. Stalkers will love this site and it is only going to be a short while before we can lay a rape or murder at their feet.
At the least people should be able to request that their information be removed - somehting that Blockshopper maintains it will not do.
Reply to this
Blockshopper recently published a new privacy policy on their site. I had a letter sent from the Protection Advocates office via the County Prosecutors office, and attached a copy of a restraining order with it. Because dates were redacted (to protect what pricy is left) BS decided they were going to ignore my document, and still have my name on their site. Additionally- after they received it & had my home address & name in front of them- they had a letter sent to me from an attorney threatening to sue me if I 'defame' them. So not only did they not honor their own policy & still leave me at risk- they're trying to intimidate people & use the data they have against them.
Reply to this
Write your legislatures about Blockshopper, but that is a slow process so meanwhile we can stop them with our consumer power. BOYCOTT their advertisers.
Companies like this exist because they make money. They make money by selling advertising. If we boycott their advertisers and write every advertiser telling them why we are boycotting them, we can stop Blockshopper.
List their advertisers on every forum or social networking site you can find and make sure the advertisers know why we are boycotting them.
With no revenue stream, Blockshopper will be out of business. But we must spread the word to everyone, only if we stand together to stop them will it work.
Reply to this
All you have to do is google your name and your name, address, and everything about your home including pictures will pop up. When you ask them to remove the listing, they tell you to go pound sand.
blockshopper, or block shopper, is putting people at risk. If anything ever happens, the 2 or three people at blockshopper.com will be directly to blame.
Reply to this
I too found this information on Blockshopper when I googled myself today. I am outraged. I do work with property taxes in the LA area. In my opinion, the quickest way to handle these people is to contact your local Assessor's office. That is where they are purchasing this information. Many Assessor's have privacy clauses in their purchase agreements that bar companies from publishing the name and address of any public official, law enforcement, or judge as well as anyone with a protection order. Since companies have no way of keeping track of this information, they usually have no choice but to leave all owner name information off their sites. If you look at Blockshopper's privacy policy, they are aware of this and are requiring you to let them know if you fall into one of these categories. Counties where I have seen the clauses include Ventura in CA as well as Orange County CA (which has removed all addresses from the database it sells). Blockshopper has no information on either of these counties. All of this is due to CA Govt Code 6254.21:
http://law.onecle.com/california/government/6254.21.html
If you put pressure on your local assessor, you may be able to compel them to change the way their data contract is structured which will make publishing this data harder to do within the law. This will not solve the problem of what is out there on their site now but data is only valuable if it's current. Unfortunately, the best thing to do is contact your elected officials at the state level to change local laws.
Reply to this
N. Cone, do you have an example of an assessor's office that has such a purchase agreement? I hope that you are right but I am looking at LA County's agreement and am not seeing it!(http://assessor.lacounty.gov/extranet/outsidesales/order.pdf)
Reply to this
I'm going to partially answer my own question. I've received Ventura's written policy, and N. Cone is right. Now we need to convince LA and other counties that this is the way to go. This seems to be up to each Assessor. Elected officials!
Reply to this
We are a law firm investigating the conduct of BlockShopper.
If you feel that your rights may have been violated by BlockShopper, please contact us by e-mail at:
[email protected].
However, in your initial e-mail, please do not include sensitive personal or confidential information. Just include your name and telephone number, and one of our attorneys or staff members will be in touch with you shortly to discuss your case. Thank you.
Reply to this
i say we find these people that allow our personal information to be easily found. And take care of things the old Chicago ganster way. I'm sure it will be easy to find out where they live through block shopper.
Reply to this
Blockshopper is a business entity and since it publishes personal information of California Residents, it must comply with the California Civil Code:
A business that owns or licenses personal information about a
California resident shall implement and maintain reasonable security
procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the
information, to protect the personal information from unauthorized
access, destruction, use, modification, or disclosure
I am interested in any information with regards to filing a lawsuit for violating my constitutional right to privacy and civil rights. Any info please let me know.
Reply to this
I just googled my name and saw my name and the house that I just moved out of shown together. That alone wasn't that surprising to me but what really shocked me was that it also shows my job, my employer, where I went to school, etc.
I changed my privacy setting to non-public on all my social networking site such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. They let ME decide whether I want my information to be public or not.
Blockshopper, however, does not. It just shows it and when I read their FAQ, their tone was also rather harsh about it.
I just emailed them asking them to take down my information. I will post back once I hear from them.
If they do not take my information down, I will be interested in joining the efforts to file lawsuit against them.
Reply to this
I just received a reply email from Blockshopper. Seems to be a standard email. She apparently did not read my email at all.
The following is the email that she sent me:
-------
BlockShopper publishes public records. Property ownership and sales information is listed publicly in multiple places on the internet and in other publications. We get our data from the county-- it is the public record. It's our goal to be accurate and consistent, so we don't simply edit the public record on any request.
Please refer to our FAQ page for more information http://www.blockshopper.com/faq.html
------
I replied the email right away and asked them to remove my personal information such as my job, where I work, where I went to school, etc.
I mean, seriously, why is that information relevant to this property? I don't even live there anymore.
If they do not take down that information, I want to take the next legal step.
Reply to this
This is the same information that all of us have received; and the majority of people have had no luck getting info removed. Please keep us posted if you have forward progress. We are hearing that some people that go directly to their County Tax Assessors to work on privacy issues are having some luck. BS is also one of several using same tactics of scraping date from other sites. Other examples include people123.com, mylife.com, radaris, people finder, etc. It's a nightmare for privacy.
Reply to this
I have emailed her back and forth a couple of more times. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get them to remove my information. It does not seem to me that she even read my email fully. Her reply seems to be just a template that she cut and paste.
What I concern about the most is the information about me. I understand why many have concern about showing the association of their name and their address on BS's site, but for me, when people google my name and can see where I work, what my job title is, where I went to school, etc, was just too much of privacy invasion. That information should be something that I get to decide whether it is public or not.
In some of the previous reader comments, people mentioned about filing lawsuit against BS. Is it still being worked on? If it is, where can I go to find more information?
Thanks.
Reply to this
I was shocked today when I found both my husband and my address listed on the internet. What kind of sick twisted company thinks it is alright to publish this kind of information so freely via the internet. I understand that this information is open for public view, but gathering this information requires time and effort. Just because this information is public does not mean it needs to be posted so anybody can see it. I can not believe that this company does not give you the ability to opt out, oh wait you can as long as you fall into one of their designated categories. I believe we should find out who the owners of this company and have they personal information posted via internet, think it would get their attention. I have written to my state senator today demanding an explanation and requesting that they do something about this. What happened to our privacy rights? Just because this information is public does not mean it should be posted. I would be interested in finding out about any pending lawsuits. Where can I go to get more information on this?
Thanks for your time.
Reply to this
I am a single mother who lives alone with my child. Why is my home address news for this website. I feel so disturbed that my home is listed with a picture, along with my name for all of the world to see. I feel incredibly unsafe. I just wish they would remove my information from this website. I cant imagine that this can be legal.
Reply to this