Registration Required

Hit & Run commenters often complain when we link to news sites that require registration. Via Romenesko, here's an AP story on the declining effectiveness of registration. (Registration not required)

Some forms require the most basic information, like gender and year of birth. Others ask for what amounts to a personal profile that can include name, birth date, job title, income range, e-mail and home addresses, home phone numbers, and interests and hobbies.

The data can then be used to help publications better know their online readers, and make themselves more attractive to advertisers.

However, some privacy groups are crying foul. Chris Hoofnagle of the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, D.C. says sites will be pushing for even more invasive disclosures as demographic data becomes muddied by peeved users who practice "self-defense" by registering themselves as 110-year-old surgeons from Bulgaria named Mickey Mouse.

"The marketing is becoming less effective, so the marketers are pushing for more invasive registrations," he said. "They know specifically what articles I'm reading, they know all about me, and I know very little about them. It's a complete imbalance of power."

Personally, I hate having to register and it keeps me away from some news sites. But since the transaction is voluntary, I don't see how it has anything to do with "power." Also, what's imbalanced about an organization requiring certain info in return for free content?

Comments

[Evan Williams]

Travelling on an airline is voluntary, too. You don’t think power comes into the voluntary transaction.

But nobody is forcing you to travel on that airplane, or with that particular airline. You are the ultimate possesser of power/b>, because you have the complete and unabated freedom to choose whether or not to exchange your wealth for their service. In a voluntary transaction, the initiator of the transaction has the advantage, he/she has (at the risk of sounding like a He-Man voice-over) the ultimate power. All other powers (like the power that the airline pilot has over your safety) is dependent on your willingness to voluntarily give him that power. Your power trumps their power, absolutely. He would not have the power over your safety had you not exercised your power to grant him that power, and thus, you, the initiator, have the advantage. Unless you agree to the terms of the transaction (which include you giving him money, and power over your safety, in exchange for the service of transporting you from point A to point B), then he has no power whatsoever.

So, in reality, discounting government aggression, all powers in a voluntary commercial transaction are solely dependant on your power to agree to the contract.

However, your power is not absolute in that it does not guarantee you a successful transaction. The initiatee may also exercise his/her power to reject the transaction.

So, with regards to registration for websites, you hold the upper hand, you have the power: the power to choose whether or not it is worth it for you to exchange your personal information for whatever product/service they are offering. In this case, your personal info is your currency, and nobody can force you to exchange this currency for access to the website. This is your choice, your power, and so the “balance” is protected. You have something they want (personal info/demographic stuff), and they have something you want (website access). They have laid out the terms of the transaction, and they will obviously willingly give you this access in exchange for your info. Now the ball is in your court, and you have the power.

[Evan Williams]

James,

Given that these non-pay websites rely entirely on advertising dollars, I’d say that dealing with a few ads on the sidebar is not asking too much. Popups, well, anyone who knows how to type in “http://www.panicware.com” can deal with that promptly. And you know, with most registrations, fake info will suffice. But, as you said, if you don’t feel it’s a fair transaction, then, well, you’re free to reject it.

[freeloader]

there’s also dodgeit.com

Not that I would advocate such a thing…

[Stumax]

Also, what’s imbalanced about an organization requiring certain info in return for free content?

Hmmm… You mean, what’s imbalanced about a company controlling my access to its product by actively collecting marketing information that it can sell and simultaneously logging and analyzing my behavior on its site versus me passively consuming the content? Dunno.

I do agree that since it’s a voluntary transaction I have no right to complain, and I do voluntarily choose not to register at sites. However, I would register more – even be willing to pay for more content – if I could engage in the kind of anonymous consumption that I’m allowed when I purchase a newspaper or magazine at a newsstand. Even if I pay for content these days, I still have to give more to the content provider – by way of personal information and access to my viewing habits – than I get in return. In my opinion, based on the value I give to my private information.

[Stumax]

Also, what’s imbalanced about an organization requiring certain info in return for free content?

Hmmm… You mean, what’s imbalanced about a company controlling my access to its product by actively collecting marketing information that it can sell and simultaneously logging and analyzing my behavior on its site versus me passively consuming the content? Dunno.

I do agree that since it’s a voluntary transaction I have no right to complain, and I do voluntarily choose not to register at sites. However, I would register more – even be willing to pay for more content – if I could engage in the kind of anonymous consumption that I’m allowed when I purchase a newspaper or magazine at a newsstand. Even if I pay for content these days, I still have to give more to the content provider – by way of personal information and access to my viewing habits – than I get in return. In my opinion, based on the value I give to my private information.

[JDM]

“Natural is not in it
Your relations are all power
We all have good intentions
But all with strings attached”

Did you write that yourself, joe?

[speedwell]

Many of you already know (but many may not) about the site http://www.bugmenot.com, dedicated to helping people bypass website registrations. Check it out.

[reason]

every reg required from this site:

Username: [e-mail]
Password: reason

[Pavel]

Oh you neophytes.

BugMeNot

Is all you ever need.

[joe]

Travelling on an airline is voluntary, too. You don’t think power comes into the voluntary transaction.

“Natural is not in it
Your relations are all power
We all have good intentions
But all with strings attached”

[dhex]

since these things are so easily bypassed, i fail to see the “power” in them as well.

[James B.]

Another way to log in is to use:

beslig or [e-mail]
bselig

This works on most sties that have a posrt section.

[James Anderson Merritt]

“Free content,” in my view, does not include banner and pop-up ads. If registration gets me to content that is truly free of those irritating intrusions, and if my email address won’t be sold to numerous spammers, I might consider participating. But if the result of giving up registration info is an email box filled to the limit with spam, or if I have to put up with the web-page ads and popups anyway, then they’re not giving me anything half as valuable as what I am giving them: my time, attention, and personal information. That’s a bad trade, imho.

[db]

Re: Bugmenot

I just tried it for the NYT; not a single login that it gave me worked.

[Stewart Vardaman]

I don’t have a problem with the Washington Post knowing I’m a 99 year old black female living in Alaska. 🙂

A few years ago some company was giving away free PCs, in exchange for including monitoring software to follow your surfing habits. I personally wouldn’t enter that deal even if they threw in $1,000 too, but that’s just me.

[popup]

Interesting information on this blog, thanks