Security vs privacy - E-mails telling me that I've logged in to my account

[otherego]

First of all - how nice to see signs of life here. CD, I trust you're going to tell us justwhat those gadgets in your pictures are. Intriguing.

Logging into eBay has been such a pain (Captcha, anyone?) that I'd pretty much given up.

Wanting to buy a small item a few weeks ago, I tried to log into my buying account. What a palaver. It had been "temporarily locked for my protection." The steps I was given to get things working just led to lots of Rude Words, especially at the message that if none of the steps worked, I'd have to abandon the account and start a new one.

Groovy.

Not.

Fortunately, the second customer services chap I spoke to managed to sort it out.

I've not had the Captcha nonsense for a while now, but instead, get an e-mail every time I log in telling me that there has been log-in activity (or something) on my account. Tedious.

A bit of a search showed that others have had the same thing, but it's not universal. I wonder whether it is a result of Firefox 85 and 86 tightening up on privacy protection. I always clear everything (cookies, cache) on closing the browser, and don't allow things like local storage in the first instance. Being an avid member of the Honourable Order of the Tinfoil Hat, I also use privacy-enhancing software/extensions.

The fact that this causes me to raise eBay's suspicions every time I log in makes me wonder just what they try to store. Their current advice re cookies etc is quite an eye-opener. User privacy does not seem to be their first priority.

Now, I can understand their wish to identify returning computers from a security standpoint - to an extent. A nasty, suspicious part of me wonders whether they might not take advantage of the use of "super-cookies" ("stealth cookies," more like) for tracking and profiling purposes.

I'm probably the last man on the planet for whom privacy trumps security. And I HATE being snooped on in the name of "security."

Bah.

If anyone has the time and inclination, do take a look at eBay's "Help" with respect to cookies and similar. Mozilla's account of its hardened privacy protections make even more interesting reading (the odd bits I could understand.) If this fancy new board allows links, you can find more out here:

https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2021/01/26/supercookie-protections/

https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2021/02/23/total-cookie-protection/

Enough waffle. Nice to see everyone again. I'm sure we'll get the hang of the new layout, although I can't say I'm overwhelmed. At least it loads faster on this machine, and touch wood, none of that Captcha nonsense so far.

Now let's see whether it lets me post this.

[cee-dee]

Hiya OE, I'll be back tomorrow.

[cee-dee]

I wonder if OE will be back any time soon?

Anyway, the large movement with the bells is out of an English Fusee chiming bracket clock. It's in an ebonised case with Brass mounts. It had a broken mainspring in the going train so I had to take it all to pieces. It was sold and is currently with Customs in America.

The other movement is a German three-train weight driven clock chiming on rod gongs. That pic is "before" it was cleaned.

The candlesticks had broken sconces and I made and fitted new ones. Over the years I've repaired hundreds of candlesticks of all sorts.

[otherego]

Those clock movements really are rather beautiful, aren't they? Thanks for the identification.

Back to the original topic - I'm still getting e-mailed whenever I log on here. The joys of trying to preserve some vestige of privacy on the internet.

[cee-dee]

I don't get emails????

[rell6534]

Hi OE

I keep getting those eBay e-mails too; I think you’re right it’s probably to do with Firefox and/or the way we have it set up.

FF is blocking some other websites as well, saying they are insecure or some such, even though my safe search says they’re ok.

Better safe than sorry, I suppose.

[cee-dee]

OE, going back to my clock pic, the one sent to America was held up by customs. Then they claimed it was on the CITES list of bnned woods!!! So it was sent back to the UK. After some argument and (more than a few) threats of legal action thrown at them...... it's now on it's way back to the USA. They were told to produce their wood expert that (mis)identified the species of wood it's made from and it's being sent back there for free.

The clock case is ebonised, that is, the wood is stained Black, then given a high polish. (Often that's many coats of Black French polish). I expect some fool took the lid off, saw it was Black, immediately thought "That's Ebony, a banned wood on the CITES list".

Items which are ebonised are made from many different types of wood and if something's going to be ebonised, it won't be made from the "fine" woods on the banned list.

[cee-dee]

Well, the clock has arrived at the customers smashed to bits!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was originally packed in a wooden box and was packed in with polystyrene. When the customer opened it, it was wrapped in bubblewrap. So, it seems it was opened by someone who couldn't figure out how to get it back in again. The box was built round the item and there was only one way to get it out. Just as well it was fully insured.

[cee-dee]

Update.

The insurance paid out and the customer has been reimbursed.

I'm still annoyed after all the work I put in!