Comments on: Zillow: The Creepy Factor http://1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html Turn On Mon, 21 May 2012 12:54:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Real Estate Blogger http://1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html/comment-page-1#comment-6744 Real Estate Blogger Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:40:40 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html#comment-6744 <p>I also agree with most of what you have to say. It is creepy.</p><br><p>But, at this point, how can we fix it?</p><br><p>The masses aren't yet that upset over their privacy being violated. Most don't even have a clue that Zillow exists.</p><br><p>More regulation?</p><br><p>Just throwing out a few thoughts...</p> I also agree with most of what you have to say. It is creepy.

But, at this point, how can we fix it?

The masses aren't yet that upset over their privacy being violated. Most don't even have a clue that Zillow exists.

More regulation?

Just throwing out a few thoughts…

]]> By: StreetAdvisor http://1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html/comment-page-1#comment-1917 StreetAdvisor Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:18:54 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html#comment-1917 <p>Hi Brian, I'm Brian Ward - the Community Manager at StreetAdvisor. We encourage people to write about their street in a safe anonymous way that does not easily identify individuals, either themselves or others. I've just written a blog post about it too - see Protecting your privacy on StreetAdvisor.com at <a href="http://blog.streetadvisor.com/streetadvisor/2008/01/new1.html" rel="nofollow">http://blog.streetadvisor.com/streetadvisor/2008/01/new1.html</a></p> Hi Brian, I'm Brian Ward – the Community Manager at StreetAdvisor. We encourage people to write about their street in a safe anonymous way that does not easily identify individuals, either themselves or others. I've just written a blog post about it too – see Protecting your privacy on StreetAdvisor.com at http://blog.streetadvisor.com/streetadvisor/2008/01/new1.html

]]> By: Brian Boero http://1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html/comment-page-1#comment-1916 Brian Boero Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:33:40 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html#comment-1916 <p>David,<br /> Thanks for the comment. I know Zillow takes privacy seriously, but my point was larger -- to try and understand why neighborhood and home related communities have not taken off as rapidly as many assumed. I used a dramatic hypothetical to illustrate a subtle sense of unease that may explain at least part of this. I could be completely wrong. </p> <p>There are other dimension to this as well. For example, in an age when the home is a core financial asset for many families, putting home price estimates online feels to me like displaying one's bank balance for all to see.</p> <p>I may be unusual in my personal feelings on this. But that's all part of the discussion.</p> <p>Brian</p> <p><br /> </p> David,
Thanks for the comment. I know Zillow takes privacy seriously, but my point was larger — to try and understand why neighborhood and home related communities have not taken off as rapidly as many assumed. I used a dramatic hypothetical to illustrate a subtle sense of unease that may explain at least part of this. I could be completely wrong.

There are other dimension to this as well. For example, in an age when the home is a core financial asset for many families, putting home price estimates online feels to me like displaying one's bank balance for all to see.

I may be unusual in my personal feelings on this. But that's all part of the discussion.

Brian

]]> By: David G from Zillow.com http://1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html/comment-page-1#comment-1915 David G from Zillow.com Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:41:14 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html#comment-1915 <p>Hi Brian, it's David from Zillow,</p> <p>Thanks for this feedback. We take our visitors' privacy very seriously and I'd like to address a few of the issues you've raised; </p> <p>- I'm surprised you can identify a toy in our aerial imagery. The resolution of those images has been optimized to allow the maximum detail possible without facilitating the identification of people or other personally identifiable information (license plates etc). </p> <p>- If you had tried to claim your parents' home on Zillow.com, you would have been asked to verify that you are the owner. You would have also had to falsely warrant that the information you provided was accurate and that affidavit could be used in your prosecution (should it come to that.) We've given a lot of thought to opportunities for abuse in our design of the site and we staff a team of moderators who respond to reports of malicious behavior that are flagged for our attention. </p> <p>There is a lot of personal information that is part of the public record about your home. It includes ownership details and mortgage information. At Zillow, we've chosen the conservative approach to personal privacy and we don't publish any of this information. </p> <p>Zillow's privacy policy can be reviewed here;<br /> <a href="http://www.zillow.com/corp/Privacy.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.zillow.com/corp/Privacy.htm</a></p> Hi Brian, it's David from Zillow,

Thanks for this feedback. We take our visitors' privacy very seriously and I'd like to address a few of the issues you've raised;

- I'm surprised you can identify a toy in our aerial imagery. The resolution of those images has been optimized to allow the maximum detail possible without facilitating the identification of people or other personally identifiable information (license plates etc).

- If you had tried to claim your parents' home on Zillow.com, you would have been asked to verify that you are the owner. You would have also had to falsely warrant that the information you provided was accurate and that affidavit could be used in your prosecution (should it come to that.) We've given a lot of thought to opportunities for abuse in our design of the site and we staff a team of moderators who respond to reports of malicious behavior that are flagged for our attention.

There is a lot of personal information that is part of the public record about your home. It includes ownership details and mortgage information. At Zillow, we've chosen the conservative approach to personal privacy and we don't publish any of this information.

Zillow's privacy policy can be reviewed here;
http://www.zillow.com/corp/Privacy.htm

]]> By: Real Estate Blogger http://1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html/comment-page-1#comment-1914 Real Estate Blogger Fri, 13 Jul 2007 07:32:25 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html#comment-1914 <p>I also agree with most of what you have to say. It is creepy.</p> <p>But, at this point, how can we fix it?</p> <p>The masses aren't yet that upset over their privacy being violated. Most don't even have a clue that Zillow exists.</p> <p>More regulation?</p> <p>Just throwing out a few thoughts...</p> I also agree with most of what you have to say. It is creepy.

But, at this point, how can we fix it?

The masses aren't yet that upset over their privacy being violated. Most don't even have a clue that Zillow exists.

More regulation?

Just throwing out a few thoughts…

]]> By: Michael Daly http://1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html/comment-page-1#comment-1913 Michael Daly Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:23:53 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2007/07/zillow-the-cree.html#comment-1913 <p>Yeah Brian-<br /> Zillow has "crossed the line" for me in sooo many ways. <br /> 1- lack of respect for personal privacy.<br /> 2- tossing quarter-baked info out there, claiming that it's accurate.<br /> 3- lack of respect for the agent, the individual that has driven the realestate business for 50 years.</p> <p>I think they underestimated the power of face-to-face contact on the biggest purchase of peoples lives and overestimated their "midas" abilities.<br /> md</p> Yeah Brian-
Zillow has "crossed the line" for me in sooo many ways.
1- lack of respect for personal privacy.
2- tossing quarter-baked info out there, claiming that it's accurate.
3- lack of respect for the agent, the individual that has driven the realestate business for 50 years.

I think they underestimated the power of face-to-face contact on the biggest purchase of peoples lives and overestimated their "midas" abilities.
md

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