Ako Mismo

To all those that signed up with AKO MISMO!

You are now part of SMART telecoms network for potential campaigns in 2010.

The amount of information they have asked is so detailed that they can track you down to your zip code and contact you any time. In all my years of signing up for information I have never had a site require so much information AS REQUIRED FIELDS.

This makes for a perfect voter mapping database and campaign tool for anyone that wants to pay SMART for the information.

Did you think SMART would pay MILLIONS in production and advertising and talent costs for nothing?

If you refer to their privacy policy that no one ever reads, it states:

AKO MISMO MAY use the personal information you provide to:
• Contact you – either in response to a query or suggestion, or to mail newsletters, documents, publications, etc.
• “Remember” your online profile and preferences;
• Help you quickly find information that is relevant to you based on your interests, and help us create site contents most relevant to you;

In other words the can PUSH information to you which is an important tool in making sure that you can receive even unwanted campaign messages.

• Undertake statistical analysis.

They can use your answers to this PUSH for other mapping and trending purposes.

They also wash their hands of any person “accidentally” cracking the site and getting all your info. If you read privacy policy, again, which no one reads:

AKO MISMO shall not be liable under any circumstances for damages resulting from unauthorized use of information collected from visitors to the site.

AKO MISMO may change this privacy policy to reflect changes in the way we collect visitor information.

As a final warning, their privacy policy claims that you can still access this site even if you do not sign up (again from the privacy policy page):

What if I don’t want to provide personal information?
Providing personal information on the AKO MISMO web site is optional. If you choose not to provide personal information, you can still browse and use the AKO MISMO site, but you will not be able to carry out certain actions.

This is not true. None of the pages are viewable unless you have signed in. This is already a sure sign that their intent is to make you sign up and not just to make you a part of a youth reform activity.

A friendly piece of advice: Go back to the site and change your details please change all the details that pertain to AGE, SEX, and, LOCATION.

Also change your phone number if you like. This is to protect your privacy.

And remember you are still holding on to your pledge of participation in making our country great and they promise not to bar you from accessing the site even if you change your details so you will lose nothing but you will take back your security.

Please pass to all the people you know who may have signed up.

Ingat lang tayo po sa mga ganito.

Salamat!

Smart has denied owning the site:

link:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20090505-203271/Smart-denies-owning-patriotism-campaign-site

Hmm...it's getting more and more mysterious. PLDT/Smart's logo was on the TV ad, but they deny ownership. If this effort is really legit, then why won't anyone admit to being behind it? Shouldn't they be proud of such a nationalistic campaign?

What bothers me is, over 45,000 people (probably mostly youth) have registered, but what is it really for? I know that many joined just for the dog tag, or because they were curious, not really because they want to make a difference (pledges like throwing trash in the bin are so useless; shouldn't they do that anyway?!); but with that kind of database, I really hope something good will come out of it.