Shame on eBay

[argentphil]

Received the email concerning the 10K grants eBay is giving out. The website they use "Hello Alice" is nothing more than a data collection agency. Hello Alice is also non-compliant with California's Internet Security laws, enabling them to vacuum up as much of your info as possible. (Have made a complaint to the state already)

WHY? Why am I asked my sexual orientation in order to apply for a grant?

WHY? Why Is my gender a qualifying factor in receiving a grant?

WHY? Why does my race make a difference in applying for a grant?

WHY? Why Is my disability status a condition for applying for a grant?

Oh, how far eBay has fallen. The lack of management oversight resulting in 7 employees being charged, tried, convicted and fined, as well as a $59 MILLION dollar fine because no one at eBay knows what a pill press is used for, are big, expensive pimples on eBays face. And eBay is making it's sellers the responsible party to pay for all of this malfeasance. You farm this $500,000 grant out to a third party information amalgamater, collect the info, and sell it on the open market. How many millions does eBay make from selling their users info off a third-party site??

And as if that weren't enough, eBay is forbidding comments on pages that also question the ethical nature of Hello Alice and applications for the grant.

[luckythewinner]

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@argentphil wrote:

WHY? Why am I asked my sexual orientation in order to apply for a grant?

WHY? Why Is my gender a qualifying factor in receiving a grant?

WHY? Why does my race make a difference in applying for a grant?

WHY? Why Is my disability status a condition for applying for a grant?

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You are asking a corporation to give you free money. What does the application say they will do with that information, and is it optional or required? 

For instance, does it actually say your race makes a difference, or are they just collecting it for aggregate reporting information?  Does it actually say your gender is a  qualifying factor, or is that just your assumption? 

[luckythewinner]

UPDATE: here is what I see on the application: 

What is your gender identification?

This information enables us to improve our products and services by providing personalized content

What race(s) do you identify as? Select all that apply.

This information enables us to improve our products and services by providing personalized content.

Do you consider yourself to be an individual with a disability or disabilities?

This information enables us to improve our products and services by providing personalized content.

Nowhere does it say this information is a "qualifying factor" or that it "makes a difference". Those are just your  accusations. 

[inhawaii]

Thank you for that information.

I will take the appropriate action.

[justmyluckresale]

April 2024 article;  says Hello Alice is Headquartered in Santa Rosa CA

https://www.detroitchamber.com/ebay-offers-10k-grants-to-sellers-on-platform-including-black-entrepr...

[justmyluckresale]

I think they gave the option of the WHY? questions you mentioned: Prefer not to say

[12345jamesstamps]

Aren't those kinda like the same questions getting free grants for colleges?

Anything you sign up for nowadays you might get on a email mailing list.

[fashunu4eeuh]

@argentphil I just read the terms and conditions of the grant process. I think you may be focused on wrong end of the stick. It appears to me that if eBay is collecting those specific details, it is NOT in order to exclude or exploit participants, but rather the opposite—to include those who may have experienced societal prejudice in the past. Revealing the presence of vulnerabilities can play a role in the grant process.

This is not my area of expertise, but i think asking for such information from potential grantees is not based on anything nefarious.

[onefootflipper1]

I as an amputee in a wheelchair consider applying every year but I never end up doing it as I am sure whatever number of those grants they are saving for the disabled will go to ones who look better than I do in their reports or media or whatever.

[argentphil]

They are collecting irrelevant information for a grant. All the business info asked about below these questions are legit for a grant application. Hello Alice does not follow California internet safety rules, which allows them to place any amount of tracking cookies on your system for any reason or purpose. Hello Alice is an information amalgamator. They use the info you give to them to match it up with the rest of your personal information stolen from you by companies to create a profile of you and your life. That this is done is no secret in the marketing industry.

[argentphil]

This information enables us to improve our products and services by providing personalized content

I'm not looking for personalized content. I'm trying to fill out a grant application.

[argentphil]

They give no clear opt-out for tracking cookies as required by California law.