• geekworking@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    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.

    • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.gg
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      9 months ago

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

      • 𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏@lemmy.one
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        9 months 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

      • geekworking@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        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.

        • Boring@lemmy.ml
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          9 months ago

          But can't you go manually forget the network in your device network options to circumvent this?

    • Boring@lemmy.ml
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      9 months ago

      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.