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Usually connect to Walmart's WiFi but they changed their policy I guess, won't be doing that now... (lemmy.ml)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/privacy@lemmy.ml
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[–] 111 points 2 years ago* (6 children)

I created an account while in the store with an email of fuckyou@thisisstupid.com and a basic password and surprisingly didn't have to verify the email. Then turned on a VPN to my house.

I plan on just creating a new account every time I go in just to fill up their database with nonsense.

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  • [–] 37 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    GIGO (Garbage in, garbage out) is the correct way to deal with the surveillance system.

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  • [–] 16 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

    You do realize that they are actually tracking the device itself by the hardware MAC address and other device fingerprints.

    The email is just a bonus to let them legally spam you. Anti-spam laws have an exemption. If there's a prior business relationship like shopping in their stores, they can put you on their spam list unless you opt out.

    Bogus email only helps for spam but doesn't do anything about tracking.

    EDIT: For Android when there's a Captive Portal like the screen shot. devices will use Persistent randomization which while not the hardware MAC will remain the same for the same network where they can track your visits.

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  • [–] 29 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

    Pretty much all modern phones randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network unless the user explicitly says not to do that.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago*

    randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network

    +1, had issues using Android devices for presence detection because of this very useful privacy feature. Even on your home network, the MAC address and device hostname get randomized, unless disabled in the settings

    Edit: typo

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    When there's a Captive Portal like the screenshot, many devices use a random but persistent mac for that network avoid reauthorization after any network drop. This will make your access to the specific network trackable.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    chuckles in GrapheneOS

    (per-connection random MAC, for all networks, by default)

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    This is actually just part of stock Android. My Pixel 5 has MAC randomization on by default for new Wi-Fi networks.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    It's per-network, not per-connection. Though that option does exist but is hidden away under developer settings.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Oh you mean like per TCP connection?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    It's not at the packet level - by default on gOS (and a dev option on stock pixels), every time you connect to a network, even ones you have connected to prior, you get a new random MAC. The standard aosp/pixels do one random but persistent MAC randomization. This only helps marginally from a privacy standpoint. Per-connection makes this data point useless, thereby increasing privacy.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    GrapheneOS let's me do a per-connection randomized MAC.

    I'm sure they do collect a lot more about my device, but there's not much I can do about it short of wrapping my phone in tin foil.

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