A Message About NeoPets.com
This is a cautionary note to parents whose children use NeoPets.com and other online gaming services. While NeoPets has an effective privacy policy towards children under the age of 13, once the system knows that the child has reached 13 or over, the child’s information is provided to third parties, resulting in a bombardment of inappropriate spam.
My daughter, at the age of 12, after she forgot her password of her first NeoPets accounts, used the wrong signup to create a new account and entered her age incorrectly. NeoPets then thought she was 14 years old. No parental consent was necessary to join, and their privacy policy only protects children 12 or under. Then they provided her email address to a myriad of third parties.
Before using the email address on NeoPets she had never received any spam. However, just in the last twelve hours, she has received 18 spam email messages — two for diet pills, two for satellite TV systems, two for online dating services, two offering gambling, one for Viagra, one for other medication, one offering her the opportunity to refinance her mortgage, two for multi-level marketing schemes, two selling miscellaneous kitchen products, one to earn her degree online, one for a psychic hotline, and one that was blank because their ISP had shut them down for spamming which made the images of whatever they were trying to sell not show up. All inappropriate for her age; all intended for adults. Fortunately, I intercept every email message sent to her before she reads it.
My suggestion if your child MUST sign up with NeoPets (and other similar services) is to use a temporary, throw-away email address and sign them up as age six. Today, I emailed them to request that she be removed from their lists that they provide to third parties. Hopefully, they will do the right thing.
ADDENDUM: Since so many neoteens are having difficulty comprehending the problem, I’ll spell the problem out slowly: What you people who have been using NeoPets for a long time do not understand is that NeoPets has stated that they will use whatever privacy policy is in place when you sign up. The privacy policy in place when you signed up is probably different than today’s. I opened up an account on NeoPets at the beginning of February 2003, telling it that I was 13 years old (just as a typical teen would) and using a never-before-used email address, one especially created for the test. So, now, daily, I receive spam sent to the “mapsoen” (”neospam” spelled backwards) user on one of the domains I own. Only NeoPets was sent this email address. And, yes, I opted out of participating with their third-party partners when I signed up. Try it yourself.
you’re too strict! I’ve been on for two years and I never received all those b4! And signing her up as 6 years old… haiz… i feel pity 4 her.
I DIDN’T sign her up as 6 years old. I SUGGESTED that as a possible method of reducing or eliminating spam. What you people who have been using NeoPets for two years do not understand is that NeoPets has stated that they will use whatever privacy policy is in place when you sign up. The privacy policy in place when you signed up is different than today’s. I opened up an account on NeoPets recently, telling it that I was 13 years old (just as a typical teen would) and using a never-before-used email address, one especially created for the test. So, now, daily, I receive multiple spam sent to the “mapsoen” (”neospam” backwards) user on one of the domains I own. Try it yourself. - RDL
SPAM is normal! Everyone gets it. But I think that he has a point. I have recived way more SPAM then I used to ever scince I signed up for Neopets. I have delted all my accounts from there and removed my e-mail from as many SPAM senders as possible but I’m pretty sure they are still selling my e-mail *sigh*. I suggest that no one under the age of 17 or 18 play that way Teenagers such as myself (I am 13) do not recive Nasty, Un wanted, e-mails or just ones trying to sell stuff. That is just my own orginal idea.
You maybe scamed, but it isn’t from neopets. Neopets is a great site. If you have anything else to say about it, neomail me! My user is amy_v16!!
I’m a neopets player, and would like to add some comments. When you signup, you should uncheck whatever offers they offer to you. This way, you will reduce the spam you receive. Perhaps you should tell your child to read meticulously everything stated before tick a box or press ‘yes’ button. Sorry for my poor english, I am not from english-speaking country.
No problem, all nationalities welcome here! As stated, I signed up with NeoPets with a new account as a test. Of couse, I unchecked the offers! - RDL
Neopets does not give your e-mail address to 3rd parties. I have used Neopets for almost 2 years and I never got spam. Someone who uses your internet is accessing websites that are getting your daughter’s e-mail address and giving it to other parties. And do you give your children any privacy? You do not have the right to monitor every little thing they do. I mean come on you might as well be escorting them to the bathroom and watching them at school. You obviously have no trust or respect for your children.
Tara, let’s start by realizing that Richard is a highly knowledgable computer user, particularly where things online are concerned. He has set up his own network and servers, established various domains for various purposes and setup a number of different email boxes for control the level of spam he and his family gets. If he says his daughter is being spammed because of participation with neopets I’d tend to believe him. I’m sure he has a far better understanding of the workings of the email system than someone who refers to “Someone [using] your internet”. Second, should he pay NO attention to what his pre-teenage daughter is doing? Note he is not rummaging through her drawers. He doesn’t search her room. He doesn’t listen in on her phone calls. He DOES tell her there are certain movies she can’t watch until she is older. He DOES tell her she has to do homework and chores before playing games. He DOES track what she does online. ALL as any responsible parent should. Would you, if you are old enough to have children, drive them to the bad part of town and leave them there to fend for themselves because it’s none of your business what they do?
Tara, you think your ISP, Adelphia Cable, isn’t broadcasting your personal information to third parties? You think the few product endorsements NeoPets gets is enough to pay the multi-million-dollar pricetag of expenses each year? Can you read and understand the concept I spoke of earlier, that I tried it again myself with a never-before-used email address, one especially created for the test, and that I received new spam? And since you have publicly acknowledged that the Internet is mine, when did I grant you permission to use it? Either get off, or pay me $1 everytime you access it. And since when do I not have the right to monitor my children? Grow up! And, no, you’ve got it completely wrong once again; I have absolutely no trust or respect for anyone I do not personally know on the Internet. That encompasses about a billion people. Including you. - RDL
HOW DARE YOU DISS NEOPETS LIKE THAT?!?! I LOVE NEOPETS FOR WHAT IT IS AND I’VE BEEN ON FOR NEARLY 8 MONTHS!!! AND I GET NO SPAM! AND I HAVE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS THAT ARE MY REAL AGE, 13! YOUR POOR DAUGHTER, SHE’LL FOREVER BE LAUGHED UPON AS THE “SOFTIE” IN THE WHOLE NET THING. AND AS FOR THE SIGNING UP AS SIX THING, WELL I THINK THAT YOU ARE THE NAIVE ONE, NOT US, THE NEOPET LOVERS. SO SHUT UP AND STOP COMPLAINING!