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Best Buy: Difference between revisions
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Best Buy is | Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American multinational chain of stores that specializes in retailing consumer electronics. | ||
== Incidents == | == Incidents == | ||
=== [[Best Buy Discontinuation of Insignia Connect App|Discontinuation of Insignia Connect App]] === | === [[Best Buy Discontinuation of Insignia Connect App|Discontinuation of Insignia Connect App]] === | ||
On November 6, 2019, Best Buy discontinued support for their Insignia Connect app<ref name=":0">https://web.archive.org/web/20191105124635/https://bestbuy.symphonysummit.com/insignia.web/<nowiki/>(November 5th, 2019) Retrieved January 15th, 2025</ref>, resulting in major functionality losses for affected Insignia products that used the service. Best Buy did provide compensation to affected customers, however, this was only in the form of a partial refund in the form of a virtual gift card that was determined by the product type<ref name=":1">https://web.archive.org/web/20191212130853/https://bestbuy.symphonysummit.com/insignia.web/Help_FAQ#collapseNine<nowiki/>(December 12th, 2019) Retrieved January 15th, 2025</ref><ref name=":0" />. Customers were also only able to redeem up to 10 serial numbers for product refunds, even if they owned more affected products<ref name=":2">https://web.archive.org/web/20241125000759/https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/6/20853671/best-buy-connect-insignia-smart-plug-wifi-freezer-mobile-app-shutdown-november-6<nowiki>(November 25th, 2024) Retrieved January 15th, 2025 [Note: This source references functionality loss covered in a Best Buy FAQ. The FAQ has not fully been archived, so the information in the article is the only reference to its contents.]</nowiki></ref><ref name=":1" />. Refunds for affected products has since ceased, as the window to apply for compensation only lasted for 56 days | On November 6, 2019, Best Buy discontinued support for their Insignia Connect app<ref name=":0">https://web.archive.org/web/20191105124635/https://bestbuy.symphonysummit.com/insignia.web/<nowiki/>(November 5th, 2019) Retrieved January 15th, 2025</ref>, resulting in major functionality losses for affected Insignia products that used the service. Best Buy did provide compensation to affected customers, however, this was only in the form of a partial refund, issued in the form of a virtual gift card that was determined by the product type<ref name=":1">https://web.archive.org/web/20191212130853/https://bestbuy.symphonysummit.com/insignia.web/Help_FAQ#collapseNine<nowiki/>(December 12th, 2019) Retrieved January 15th, 2025</ref><ref name=":0" />. Customers were also only able to redeem up to a maximum of 10 serial numbers for product refunds, even if they owned more than 10 affected products<ref name=":2">https://web.archive.org/web/20241125000759/https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/6/20853671/best-buy-connect-insignia-smart-plug-wifi-freezer-mobile-app-shutdown-november-6<nowiki>(November 25th, 2024) Retrieved January 15th, 2025 [Note: This source references functionality loss covered in a Best Buy FAQ. The FAQ has not fully been archived, so the information in the article is the only reference to its contents.]</nowiki></ref><ref name=":1" />. Refunds for affected products has since ceased, as the window to apply for compensation only lasted for 56 days from the discontinuation date<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20191209200148/https://bestbuy.symphonysummit.com/insignia.web/<nowiki/>(November 9th, 2019) Retrieved January 15th, 2025</ref>. | ||
== Data Privacy Concerns == | == Data Privacy Concerns == | ||
According to Best Buy's privacy policy<ref>https://www.bestbuy.com/site/help-topics/privacy-policy/pcmcat204400050062.c?id=pcmcat204400050062</ref>, the company may collect, sell, and share information that | According to Best Buy's privacy policy<ref>https://www.bestbuy.com/site/help-topics/privacy-policy/pcmcat204400050062.c?id=pcmcat204400050062</ref>, the company may collect, sell, and share information that users willingly provide, as well as information gathered through various tracking technologies. | ||
In general, | In general, users may be asked to provide the company with their name, various forms of contact information, and payment information. | ||
'''In "certain situations," | '''In "certain situations," users may also be asked to provide:''' | ||
* Driver's license number | * Driver's license number | ||
* Social | * Social Security number | ||
* Demographic and lifestyle information | * Demographic and lifestyle information | ||
* Health information | * Health information | ||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
* Facial/wrist geometry (although the policy states this occurs in real time and the data is not retained) | * Facial/wrist geometry (although the policy states this occurs in real time and the data is not retained) | ||
'''The company may also collect data that | '''The company may also collect data that users do not knowingly or explicitly provide:''' | ||
* Camera and sensor data (from physical store locations) | * Camera and sensor data (from physical store locations) | ||
* | * User IP address | ||
* | * User browser information, browsing history, and referring URL | ||
* The unique IMEI/UDID or MAC address of | * The unique IMEI/UDID or MAC address of users mobile device | ||
* The IDFA (Apple ID) or AAID (Google ID) of | * The IDFA (Apple ID) or AAID (Google ID) of users mobile device | ||
* Location information | * Location information | ||
This data collection can occur directly through | This data collection can occur directly through users browser/device, or through third party web tracking technologies such as cookies, pixels and tags. | ||
All of the above information can be sold or shared with third parties, including Best Buy's " | All of the above information can be sold or shared with third parties, including Best Buy's "subsidiaries" and "affiliates." | ||
'''The policy exhibits some additional traits that privacy-conscious individuals would likely find concerning:''' | '''The policy exhibits some additional traits that privacy-conscious individuals would likely find concerning:''' | ||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
* The company does not honor the "do not track" request some browsers are able to set. | * The company does not honor the "do not track" request some browsers are able to set. | ||
* It is not easy to quickly read the policy and understand exactly what is collected and how it is shared. | * It is not easy to quickly read the policy and understand exactly what is collected and how it is shared. | ||
* Opting out may require | * Opting out may require users to provide some information that the user doesn't want collected. | ||
* | * Opting out must be done per browser/device, and is stored with a simple browser cookie. If the cookie is erased, the user must opt out again. | ||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
Revision as of 10:07, 17 January 2025
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American multinational chain of stores that specializes in retailing consumer electronics.
Incidents
Discontinuation of Insignia Connect App
On November 6, 2019, Best Buy discontinued support for their Insignia Connect app[1], resulting in major functionality losses for affected Insignia products that used the service. Best Buy did provide compensation to affected customers, however, this was only in the form of a partial refund, issued in the form of a virtual gift card that was determined by the product type[2][1]. Customers were also only able to redeem up to a maximum of 10 serial numbers for product refunds, even if they owned more than 10 affected products[3][2]. Refunds for affected products has since ceased, as the window to apply for compensation only lasted for 56 days from the discontinuation date[4].
Data Privacy Concerns
According to Best Buy's privacy policy[5], the company may collect, sell, and share information that users willingly provide, as well as information gathered through various tracking technologies.
In general, users may be asked to provide the company with their name, various forms of contact information, and payment information.
In "certain situations," users may also be asked to provide:
- Driver's license number
- Social Security number
- Demographic and lifestyle information
- Health information
- Fingerprints
- Facial/wrist geometry (although the policy states this occurs in real time and the data is not retained)
The company may also collect data that users do not knowingly or explicitly provide:
- Camera and sensor data (from physical store locations)
- User IP address
- User browser information, browsing history, and referring URL
- The unique IMEI/UDID or MAC address of users mobile device
- The IDFA (Apple ID) or AAID (Google ID) of users mobile device
- Location information
This data collection can occur directly through users browser/device, or through third party web tracking technologies such as cookies, pixels and tags.
All of the above information can be sold or shared with third parties, including Best Buy's "subsidiaries" and "affiliates."
The policy exhibits some additional traits that privacy-conscious individuals would likely find concerning:
- Users are opted in to data collection/sharing by default.
- The company does not honor the "do not track" request some browsers are able to set.
- It is not easy to quickly read the policy and understand exactly what is collected and how it is shared.
- Opting out may require users to provide some information that the user doesn't want collected.
- Opting out must be done per browser/device, and is stored with a simple browser cookie. If the cookie is erased, the user must opt out again.
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20191105124635/https://bestbuy.symphonysummit.com/insignia.web/(November 5th, 2019) Retrieved January 15th, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20191212130853/https://bestbuy.symphonysummit.com/insignia.web/Help_FAQ#collapseNine(December 12th, 2019) Retrieved January 15th, 2025
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20241125000759/https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/6/20853671/best-buy-connect-insignia-smart-plug-wifi-freezer-mobile-app-shutdown-november-6(November 25th, 2024) Retrieved January 15th, 2025 [Note: This source references functionality loss covered in a Best Buy FAQ. The FAQ has not fully been archived, so the information in the article is the only reference to its contents.]
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20191209200148/https://bestbuy.symphonysummit.com/insignia.web/(November 9th, 2019) Retrieved January 15th, 2025
- ↑ https://www.bestbuy.com/site/help-topics/privacy-policy/pcmcat204400050062.c?id=pcmcat204400050062
