justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

“Happy Birthday from ESPN” - Say what?

Imagine my surprise to receive a happy birthday wish from ESPN, especially since I have not had any Internet or print communication with ESPN. On second thought, maybe I did when I downloaded the ESPN app for my iPhone. But, I know I never included my birth date!

I know we’ve been deluged with news and a high degree of outrage about the National Security Agency spying on all Americans, but I draw the line at an entertainment company knowing my email address and my date of birth. I find the whole scenario – this whole information gathering – unacceptable.

Overreacting? Perhaps just a tad, but this experience really drives home that nothing about me is really private – well, almost nothing! If I were decades younger I imagine this would bother me more as I’d have decades ahead of me of information gathering by others about who I am, what I do, who I know, who I talk with, things I buy, opinions I have about lots of stuff – and so on. Would I then be more “careful” or proactive with the collection of “me”?

In closing, I’d like to thank ESPN for their birthday wish – even though the disclaimer below orders me to “… not reply to this email as this address is not monitored.” Their loss, as I’m sure they, like me, would enjoy receiving a sterile wish about the most important day of my life.

“Not your birthday? We fumbled. Help us get it right. Call us at 1-888-549-ESPN.

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