Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Maybe they ARE the Evil Empire.

I turned on my computer today and MSN messenger popped up, as it always does. It showed I had two new messages and I clicked on them...to find this:

Review and sign the Agreements
Your MSN account is governed by the following agreements and statements, which are collectively referred to as the Agreements:


MSN Service Agreement
MSN Privacy Statement

Click each link above to open the Agreement in a new window, and then print or save a copy of the Agreement. If you accept all of the Agreements, sign them as a group by typing your e-mail address in the box below exactly as shown, including punctuation. If you do not accept the Agreements in their entirety and without modification, click the Cancel button to discontinue sign-up.

brianetcetera (at) hotmail.com ______________________________
- I changed '@' to '(at)'

By typing my e-mail address in the box above and clicking the Accept button, I am entering into, and agreeing to be bound by, all of the Agreements. I understand that I am creating credentials that I can use on other sites in the Passport Network. I am consenting to receive all information from Microsoft in electronic form only. I also agree to receive targeted advertisements and periodic member letter e-mail messages from MSN. I understand that if I do not accept the Agreements in their entirety without modification, I should click the Cancel button to discontinue sign-up.

That would be fine if I were signing up for the first time but I have used hotmail for eight years. I had to agree simply to recover the emails and other information I stored there. How can they expect me to agree to new conditions after I had already accepted conditions eight years ago? It's time to get more use out of my gmail account.

One thing I have to consent to is recieving targeted advertisements. I would actually like targeted emails. I am an english speaking Canadian living in rural South Korea. I am not interested in penis enlargement, nor in home ownership. Dental care would be nice; here. I would even be willing to fillout a survey regarding the ads I would like to get, and just as much, ones that would be useless.

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