Important Notification Regarding Vonage's Privacy Policy

Posts: 44

Received via email:

Quote:

Dear Valued Vonage Customer,

At Vonage, we are committed to protecting your privacy and enhancing our ability to better serve you by offering you the most innovative products and services. With these efforts, our Privacy Policy has changed, effective Wednesday, November 8, 2006. If you wish to view our updated Privacy Policy, visit: http://www.2p9.com/vonage/1106privacy/privacy.cfm

If you have any questions concerning our Privacy Policy, please contact Customer Care by calling 1-VONAGE-HELP (1-866-243-4357) or visiting: http://www.vonage.com/help_contactUs.php

Here's the part of the privacy policy that I *think* has changed:

Quote:

Use of Information
Vonage will use PII (1) to market products and services to Customers and Visitors that Vonage believes may be of interest to them.
http://vonage.com/help.php?lid=footer_privacy&article=399

In other words, Vonage will "share" your email address in order for undisclosed third parties to send you spam. Also in that privacy policy:

Quote:

Opt-out Policy
If you do not want your PII used by Vonage for any direct marketing purposes, then you may opt-out of such disclosures by calling us at 1-VONAGE-HELP (1-866-243-4357).

However, we are not responsible for removing your PII from the lists of any third party who has previously been provided your information in accordance with this policy.

I've called and opted-out. I've also told Vonage that if I receive ONE spam, I will cancel my service. I've only had Vonage service for two weeks.

Is this the type of sleaze-ball stuff I can expect from Vonage?

Posts: 4751 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4751

The way I read the policy is that Vonage will use your information to try to sell things to you directly. I don't see it as meaning that they'll give your information to others. For what it's worth, I've never received spam that seemed to originate some how from Vonage, other than direct mailings identified as being from Vonage.

Posts: 208 · Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:44 am Post subject:

Customers do have the option to call up and opt-out of the marketing. You've done that. It does take some time for that change to go into effect since your account information has been added to a big database of a "do not call/mail/email" list and therefore the information has to get disbursed. While I can't promise you won't get any spam, it is possible you may get one or two things during the next few weeks while we do remove your information from the system.

Posts: 44 · Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:44 pm Post subject:

noct wrote:

Customers do have the option to call up and opt-out of the marketing. You've done that. It does take some time for that change to go into effect since your account information has been added to a big database of a "do not call/mail/email" list and therefore the information has to get disbursed.

1) Why is the default set to "opt-in"?
2) Why isn't the option to "opt-out" available on initial account setup?
3) Why isn't this toggle option in the user's "Account" settings on the Vonage website?

The way that Vonage is defaulting "opt-in" and immediately giving out email addresses to third parties on account setup (requiring users to "opt-out" of THEIR junk) and also requiring a phone call to "opt-out" is pretty sleazy.

noct wrote:

While I can't promise you won't get any spam, it is possible you may get one or two things during the next few weeks while we do remove your information from the system.

I report ALL spam via SpamCop . . . period.

Posts: 44 · Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:49 pm Post subject:

Steve48 wrote:

The way I read the policy is that Vonage will use your information to try to sell things to you directly. I don't see it as meaning that they'll give your information to others.

Vonage themselves say it right in their privacy policy.

Quote:

However, we are not responsible for removing your PII from the lists of any third party who has previously been provided your information in accordance with this policy.

Posts: 142 · Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 4:59 pm Post subject:

Because I'm hearing impaired, I'll have to dial Vonage through relay (Vonage doesn't support 711 dialing so I have to dial a 1-800 number Sad

) and ask Vonage to opt-out of third-party e-mails who will be sending it to me.

I'm not trying to whine, but I don't like getting junk e-mails... But I do understand that Vonage respects my privacy, so it's no big deal. If it's junk I'd just delete the e-mail messages sent by third-party vendors.

Posts: 4751 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4751

NewView wrote:

Steve48 wrote:

The way I read the policy is that Vonage will use your information to try to sell things to you directly. I don't see it as meaning that they'll give your information to others.

Vonage themselves say it right in their privacy policy.

Quote:

However, we are not responsible for removing your PII from the lists of any third party who has previously been provided your information in accordance with this policy.

I stand corrected. I agree that that policy is not a good thing.

Posts: 84 · Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:08 pm Post subject:

I agree that Vonage MUST make opting out available on a User Account page.

Calling Customer Service, there is no mention of the Privacy Policy or opting out in the myriad of menu choices.

Touch tone "0" offers to by pass all but 1 menu, but again there is no mention of the Privacy Policy or opting out.

Available options allow one to "call back Monday" or produces dead air instead of connecting to a representative.

Wow. Glad Vonage has not updated my PA since 1.00.62 and service has been good since then, because I have not had to call customer service.

Today, there is no Customer Service apparently, and therefore there is no way to opt out.

That's awful.

Posts: 1389

That stinks to see the new change to their TOS, but more and more providing your information to their "business partners" is something to expect. I have seen that it is popping up in a few other provider's TOS also now.

Expected but sad...

Posts: 150 · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:07 am Post subject:

I agree with csnet. There is no easy way to opt out.

I just called, eventually got a customer service representative, but he seemed intent on telling me that I needed to get on the national do-not-call registry. I was not able to get him to understand anything about privacy information regarding marketing from other parties.