Slipstream: Personal Data Takes a Winding Path Into Marketers’ Hands

“What’s in it for you?” said the flier from MS LifeLines, a support network for patients and their families that is financed by two drug makers, Pfizer and EMD Serono. “Strategies for managing and understanding your symptoms. Information about available treatments for relapsing M.S.”

The thing is that my friend, who requested that I keep her name out of this column, does not have multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system.

But last year, she did search online for information about various diseases, including M.S., on a number of consumer health sites. She also subscribed to an online recommendation engine where she looked up consumer reviews of local physicians.

Now she wondered whether one of those companies had erroneously profiled her as an M.S. patient and shared that profile with drug-company marketers. She worried about the potential ramifications: Could she, for instance, someday be denied life insurance on the basis of that profile? She wanted to track down the source of the data, correct her profile and, if possible, prevent further dissemination of the information. But she didn’t know which company had collected and shared the data in the first place, so she didn’t know how to have her entry removed from the original marketing list.

In our data-happy society, the case of the mistaken M.S. patient illustrates a lack of visibility for people interested in how information about them changes hands. When consumers fill out warranty cards, enter sweepstakes, answer online surveys, agree to online privacy policies or sign up to receive e-mails from brands, they often don’t realize that certain details — linked to them by name or by customer ID code — may be passed along to other companies. That can make it hard for people seeking to correct errors to find the keepers of their marketing profiles.

I was ruminating on that problem in Washington on Wednesday, when I paid a visit to Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, the West Virginia Democrat, who has made consumer privacy one of his signature issues.

Americans, he says, should be allowed “to be left alone.”

In part, this belief stems from his own nature. He describes himself as an introvert, a person who would rather stay at home and listen to Bach fugues than attend Beltway shindigs. But mainly, he just thinks that privacy is a fundamental American right.

“The principles are remarkably simple,” Mr. Rockefeller said, comfortably installed in an armchair in his Senate office. Americans, he continued, should have the right to decide what kind of marketing material is sent to them and what other people know about them: “People have the right to be private insofar as it’s possible in the modern world.”

Earlier that day, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, of which Mr. Rockefeller is chairman, had convened a hearing on the status of an online privacy mechanism for consumers called Do Not Track. The idea behind it is that people should be able to turn on settings in their Internet browsers to signal advertisers, data brokers and other third-party operators not to collect information about their activities across the Web. Advertising networks and other entities would theoretically honor those don’t-track-me flags by restricting the amount of information they collected.

But years after the Federal Trade Commission recommended that advertisers adopt such a browser-based system, consumer advocates and ad industry groups still seem at odds over fundamental issues — including the very definition of Do Not Track. In an attempt to pressure the ad industry to get with the program, the Senate committee held a hearing.

“I want to get to the bottom of this controversy,” Mr. Rockefeller said in his opening statement. “I want the witnesses to publicly explain exactly what they believe has gone wrong, and what they are prepared to offer to make Do Not Track a reality for consumers.”

Yet he acknowledges that this kind of privacy option for online consumers, even if it eventually goes into effect, does not address a larger issue: the thousands of details that third-party data gatherers, who typically don’t interact directly with consumers, have already amassed about a majority of adults in the United States. For instance, there is no federal law that requires such companies to allow consumers to have access to and correct marketing data that’s been compiled about them. That is partly why the Senate committee opened an investigation last year into the practices of leading data brokers.

Mr. Rockefeller says the investigation is continuing.

So I decided — after asking permission from the friend who received the M.S. flier — to see if I could find out how erroneous information about her health status moved from one company to another. It wasn’t an obvious trajectory.

Erin-Marie Beals, a spokeswoman for EMD Serono, told me that MS LifeLines sends marketing materials only to people who have indicated an interest in multiple sclerosis and have provided their contact information either directly to MS LifeLines or through other programs, like online surveys or subscriptions. Ms. Beals pointed me to the firm that had provided my friend’s information — the KBM Group, a marketing company that specializes in consumer data and analytics.

Ultimately, Barbara Palmer, the senior vice president for marketing at the KBM Group, told me that her firm had obtained the information from a survey company whose online questionnaire my friend had filled out in 2010. That survey, Ms. Palmer said, asked general questions, including some about health interests. She said it also contained a specific disclosure: “By completing the health-related questions on the survey, you are consenting to the use of this information for direct marketing purposes.”

Ms. Palmer added that her company honored people’s requests to opt out of its file. The Direct Marketing Association also provides a program for consumers who want to opt out of receiving all kinds of pitches by mail.

At the end of the day, information about my friend ended up in the hands of at least two companies she had never heard of, let alone interacted with. Other companies may also have obtained the data.

The proliferation of intimate details about people’s health, financial or academic status — even when the data are correct — particularly troubles Senator Rockefeller. Although laws like the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act limit the use of people’s credit and medical records, data brokers are often able to compile consumers’ financial and health information through other means.

“One of the things that really disturbs me in privacy, or the lack of it, is the way that data brokers can go in and buy all your health records, your financial records — they can get it one way or another,” Mr. Rockefeller said during the hearing. “What is of you, they can have.”

He added: “We are talking about a very, very large industry here which can decide to do that and which is doing that.”

E-mail: slipstream@nytimes.com.

Tool Kit: A Trove of Tablets for Young Hands

Children take their tablets, a term defined loosely, as seriously as they do their bikes. So if you are going to buy one that is for them — not you — you had better involve them in the process. They understand that this single device is a million-channel TV, music collection, game machine, camera and e-book library, and a way to socialize with friends. They may not understand — but you will — that in addition to the first $200 or so you lay out for a tablet, you will be paying for music, books, movies and apps far into the future.

So, what to get? The 21 tablets I reviewed for this article each have strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a crash course.

ANDROID TABLETS Android-based tablets for children are the newest versions on the block. Each is on a mission to distract children from the iPad and other mainstream tablets, and choices abound. For about $150, you can get the Kurio 7, MEEP or Tabeo.

The Nabi 2 costs a bit more ($200) but has a noticeably better screen. The Nabi Jr. ($100) is smaller and can double as a baby monitor. Though tricky to turn on, these tablets have colorful silicon bumpers for child-proofing. They also are slower, which I discovered when loading the same app on each one. This is a great test. Angry Birds starts in 10 seconds on the iPad Mini, vs. 33 seconds on the Tabeo.

Look at how much storage the devices have. It can be limited to just four gigabytes. This is important because apps and movies take space. One full-length HD video — about two gigabytes — can use half the storage space on the Tabeo, which means you’ll need to invest more in a micro-SD card.

The best overall option was the four-inch, $150 MG. Pocket-size and powerful — it loaded Angry Birds in 15 seconds — the MG is built around the Google Play app store. The MG comes with a preapproved digital allowance system, so children can do their own shopping. You supply the USB cable and Wi-Fi.

Beware that some of these devices — the Tabeo, MEEP and Kurio — are intended to sell you apps, music, e-books and movies purchased in their special stores. By the time you add in a micro-SD card to increase memory, you may be better off investing in the MG with easy access to mainstream app stores, or the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD.

MAINSTREAM TABLETS My young testers, ages 3 to 12, kept reaching for the iPad first for good reason. They could find the apps they wanted, and the entire experience was familiar. But who wants to pay $300 for the iPod Touch 5, $329 for an iPad Mini or $400 for the lowest-priced iPad 2?

The good news is that the Android options are improving, in terms of app selection and overall quality. Android tablets cost far less, too.

Both the Kindle Fire HD, from Amazon, and Google’s Nexus 7 offer power, apps and parental control features at a price near those for children’s tablets.

The testers were also attracted by the detachable keyboard on the Microsoft Surface ($500 plus $100 for the keyboard). They saw it as a replacement for a laptop they use for homework. But the best non-Apple option I could find was the Kindle Fire HD, a choice made easier thanks to Kindle FreeTime Unlimited, a fixed-price subscription-based service ($5 per child) that lets children shop on their own for books, apps, games and movies, without surprise bills.

If price is your sole determining factor, consider turning your iPhone 3s, 4 or 4s into an iPod Touch. With an Internet connection but no cellphone service, they serve as great mini iPad Minis. If you have a dead iPod Touch 4, you can get new batteries for $80 from Apple. Make sure to fully explore the built-in parental controls on both Apple and Android operating systems.

TOY OPTIONS These educational game tablets provide the lowest point of entry, at least in terms of initial cost. VTech’s MobiGo 2 ($50) and the LeapsterGS ($70) are both solid options, considering they come with a suite of onboard activities. VTech’s InnoTab 2 ($80) and Leapfrog’s LeapPad 2 (about $100) take a step closer to the tablet format. You might take this option if (a) your child has never used a multitouch screen, which they will prefer once they’ve used one; (b) you’re just not ready to part with $150 to $200; or (c) you want to ensure your child stays offline.

Downloading new content is difficult, and plug-in game cartridges cost $20 to $25. Once you consider the initial purchase, plus four AA batteries, plus games, you’ve already spent enough more than the cost of a mainstream Android tablet, with a limitless supply of apps.

VIDEO GAME CONSOLES Major contenders this holiday include the clunky, expensive PlayStation Vita ($250) and three better designed options from the company that pioneered the hand-held computing category — Nintendo. These include the Nintendo DSi ($100), the Nintendo 3DS ($170) and its new big-screen edition, the Nintendo 3DS XL ($200). Most software cartridges for those are games like Mario Tennis Open. But look at it another way: there is content you’ll never find in iTunes or Google Play, like highly coveted Pokémon White Version 2 ($35). You can find more educational titles like brain teasers and Art Academy, where your child can learn to draw in step-by-step tutorials.

If you happen to share a home with two or more children, it’s hard to beat the Nintendo DS local play feature, where multiple players can share the same game, as long as they’re in the same room. Based on price, power and app availability, the Nintendo options make more sense, and the DS clamshell design negates the need for a protective silicone bumper.

Explore the robust parental controls that are built into the Nintendo DS system. This includes the ability to lock the 3-D options behind a PIN, as well as the ability to control purchases. You will find Angry Birds but not Cut the Rope, and you generally cannot use the DS players to get access to the Web, but you can download arcade classics like Donkey King Jr. for $4. There’s a modified version of Hulu for TV viewing, provided there is Wi-Fi access.

When it comes to children’s tablets, hardware is only as good as the software it can run. Your child wants the same thing in a tablet that you do — easy use and access to lots of apps so it always contains a fresh experience. All things considered, the iPad or iPad Mini is still the best children’s tablet, but Android options are closing the gap.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: December 15, 2012

An article on the Personal Tech pages on Thursday about tablet computers for children included outdated information on the availability of Angry Birds on the Nintendo DS and 3DS XL. The game was released for those Nintendo devices on Sept. 25; it is not the case that it is still not available.

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Tool Kit: LogMeIn Puts Your Hands on Someone Else’s Computer - Tool Kit

TECH: I.T. support. How can I help you?

ME: Well, I just reset my active-directory login, but doing so caused my computer’s keychain of passwords to stop working, since it has a different password than what is now the new active-directory login.

TECH: Oh, that’s pretty easy to fix. Do I have permission to take over your computer for a minute?

ME: Sure.

At which point, my screen flashes, I click on “agree” when asked if I will share my computer, and the cursor begins to be controlled by a tech somewhere in North Carolina while I sit in Manhattan. I watch as she opens windows, scrolls through menus and types information into various fields and forms.

And everything is again right with my computer.

Let’s compare that with another tech-support phone call that many of us encounter:

MY MOTHER: Hi honey, it’s me. Something’s wrong with the computer.

ME: Oh? What’s the problem?

MOM: I used to have Safari in my dock of applications, and now it’s gone.

ME: O.K. Start by going to the Go menu and open your Applications window.

MOM: I don’t understand anything you just said.

ME: O.K. Um, do you see “Go” at the top of your screen?

MOM: I’m looking ... Finder, File, Edit, View, Go!

ME: O.K., click on that.

MOM: I’ve clicked on it. What do I do next?

ME: Click on “Applications.”

MOM: Got it.

ME: Scroll down until you see Safari.

MOM: O.K. Scrolling...

I’ll spare you the rest. Suffice it to say, as a technology advice columnist, I get a lot of questions like this — and not just from my mother. You have the same problem, right?

I’ve found that it’s easier to take control of someone’s computer and fix problems myself than try to talk somebody through an elaborate solution. Not to mention that the person seeking help gets the added benefit of being able to see what I did on the computer. Having seen my handiwork, they may be able to repeat the same fix later, without needing to call me for help. (I can dream, can’t I?)

Fortunately, it is possible to do this remotely for the computers of loved ones and friends, in much the same way that your corporate I.T. department can. Generally categorized under the term “remote access,” these services let you view and control another person’s computer (or your own machine) from any computer with an Internet connection.

Before you worry that these services expose you to hackers, scammers and outright thieves, know that in order for any remote-access service to work, you have to take specific steps to enable a computer, and that access is controlled through a system of passwords. Using remote access is as much a security risk as logging in to your bank’s Web site, giving your credit card number to a phone operator at a catalog retailer, or walking outside with your wallet in your pocket.

If you use popular communications software like Skype or iChat, you already have some remote capabilities. Those applications have screen-sharing features, which allow you and another user to agree to see what is on your or their display.

That’s helpful, but it still requires a detailed phone conversation in which you direct your friend/family member/colleague around their desktop and hard drive as they retain control over the computer (“Just click once and wait for the label to be highlighted. No, you just clicked twice and opened the folder, go back...”)

What you really want is the ability to look at another person’s display and take control of their computer (is there a way to say this that doesn’t sound sinister?). There are several services that provide this feature, but the one I prefer is LogMeIn.

LogMeIn offers a range of products, but my favorite is LogMeIn Free. That’s because it’s free.

LogMeIn Free is designed and marketed as a way to set up your own computer for remote access, but it can easily be used to set up someone else’s instead. First you set up an account at logmein.com. Then you download a small piece of software onto the computer you wish to control and use that application to link that computer to your logmein.com account. You can add as many computers to your account as you wish.

Once you’ve linked a computer to your account, you’re able to view and control it from any Web browser after logging into your account and entering the password you assigned to it. This is another reason I prefer LogMeIn to some other services. It doesn’t require you to have any special software on your end — just a computer and an Internet connection. Or you can use an Apple smartphone or tablet and a free app; Android support is coming soon, the company says.

When you take over another computer, it will appear in a window on logmein.com. You have the option to view that window in full screen, effectively turning your keyboard and mouse or trackpad into the other computer’s. That’s not to say that, for example, my mother is locked out of using her machine when I access it; her computer will accept inputs from her or me, so we can switch off if need be. If we both try to do different things at the same time, the computer gets a little confused and the cursor doesn’t really move, so you have to work in turns.

LogMeIn Free allows the host computer to control some of the parameters of remote access. You can set it so whoever is requesting access has to get your consent before they can control your computer, or you can grant them automatic access. When your computer is being controlled remotely, LogMeIn will display a small window on your screen letting you know it’s been entered. A user can also turn LogMeIn off at any time, making remote access impossible. You also have the power to cancel a remote session if you’d like.

There is a little bit of lag time when you’re controlling someone else’s computer. Don’t expect the cursor to move perfectly smoothly, as it will jump and stutter a little bit. LogMeIn is great to change a setting or find a misplaced file, but the connection it uses isn’t very robust, so accessing Mom’s computer to, say, watch a video she has stored on it is not going to be a satisfying viewing experience.

There are some other limitations to LogMeIn Free. You can’t drag a file from your desktop and drop it into Mom’s; for that, you’d have to upgrade to LogMeIn Pro, which costs $70 annually. Copying and pasting text between machines is not always available, either.

But those are small quibbles, to be honest. What LogMeIn has done for me and my family is better than any therapist. Frustrating phone calls are a thing of the past. Inconvenient house calls are also in the rearview mirror. Now, when there’s a problem, I can quickly and easily get online, assess the situation and do my best to remedy it. Familial tranquillity has been restored.

Well, at least when it comes to the computer.

Tool Kit: LogMeIn Puts Your Hands on Someone Else’s Computer - Tool Kit

TECH: I.T. support. How can I help you?

ME: Well, I just reset my active-directory login, but doing so caused my computer’s keychain of passwords to stop working, since it has a different password than what is now the new active-directory login.

TECH: Oh, that’s pretty easy to fix. Do I have permission to take over your computer for a minute?

ME: Sure.

At which point, my screen flashes, I click on “agree” when asked if I will share my computer, and the cursor begins to be controlled by a tech somewhere in North Carolina while I sit in Manhattan. I watch as she opens windows, scrolls through menus and types information into various fields and forms.

And everything is again right with my computer.

Let’s compare that with another tech-support phone call that many of us encounter:

MY MOTHER: Hi honey, it’s me. Something’s wrong with the computer.

ME: Oh? What’s the problem?

MOM: I used to have Safari in my dock of applications, and now it’s gone.

ME: O.K. Start by going to the Go menu and open your Applications window.

MOM: I don’t understand anything you just said.

ME: O.K. Um, do you see “Go” at the top of your screen?

MOM: I’m looking ... Finder, File, Edit, View, Go!

ME: O.K., click on that.

MOM: I’ve clicked on it. What do I do next?

ME: Click on “Applications.”

MOM: Got it.

ME: Scroll down until you see Safari.

MOM: O.K. Scrolling...

I’ll spare you the rest. Suffice it to say, as a technology advice columnist, I get a lot of questions like this — and not just from my mother. You have the same problem, right?

I’ve found that it’s easier to take control of someone’s computer and fix problems myself than try to talk somebody through an elaborate solution. Not to mention that the person seeking help gets the added benefit of being able to see what I did on the computer. Having seen my handiwork, they may be able to repeat the same fix later, without needing to call me for help. (I can dream, can’t I?)

Fortunately, it is possible to do this remotely for the computers of loved ones and friends, in much the same way that your corporate I.T. department can. Generally categorized under the term “remote access,” these services let you view and control another person’s computer (or your own machine) from any computer with an Internet connection.

Before you worry that these services expose you to hackers, scammers and outright thieves, know that in order for any remote-access service to work, you have to take specific steps to enable a computer, and that access is controlled through a system of passwords. Using remote access is as much a security risk as logging in to your bank’s Web site, giving your credit card number to a phone operator at a catalog retailer, or walking outside with your wallet in your pocket.

If you use popular communications software like Skype or iChat, you already have some remote capabilities. Those applications have screen-sharing features, which allow you and another user to agree to see what is on your or their display.

That’s helpful, but it still requires a detailed phone conversation in which you direct your friend/family member/colleague around their desktop and hard drive as they retain control over the computer (“Just click once and wait for the label to be highlighted. No, you just clicked twice and opened the folder, go back...”)

What you really want is the ability to look at another person’s display and take control of their computer (is there a way to say this that doesn’t sound sinister?). There are several services that provide this feature, but the one I prefer is LogMeIn.

LogMeIn offers a range of products, but my favorite is LogMeIn Free. That’s because it’s free.

LogMeIn Free is designed and marketed as a way to set up your own computer for remote access, but it can easily be used to set up someone else’s instead. First you set up an account at logmein.com. Then you download a small piece of software onto the computer you wish to control and use that application to link that computer to your logmein.com account. You can add as many computers to your account as you wish.

Once you’ve linked a computer to your account, you’re able to view and control it from any Web browser after logging into your account and entering the password you assigned to it. This is another reason I prefer LogMeIn to some other services. It doesn’t require you to have any special software on your end — just a computer and an Internet connection. Or you can use an Apple smartphone or tablet and a free app; Android support is coming soon, the company says.

When you take over another computer, it will appear in a window on logmein.com. You have the option to view that window in full screen, effectively turning your keyboard and mouse or trackpad into the other computer’s. That’s not to say that, for example, my mother is locked out of using her machine when I access it; her computer will accept inputs from her or me, so we can switch off if need be. If we both try to do different things at the same time, the computer gets a little confused and the cursor doesn’t really move, so you have to work in turns.

LogMeIn Free allows the host computer to control some of the parameters of remote access. You can set it so whoever is requesting access has to get your consent before they can control your computer, or you can grant them automatic access. When your computer is being controlled remotely, LogMeIn will display a small window on your screen letting you know it’s been entered. A user can also turn LogMeIn off at any time, making remote access impossible. You also have the power to cancel a remote session if you’d like.

There is a little bit of lag time when you’re controlling someone else’s computer. Don’t expect the cursor to move perfectly smoothly, as it will jump and stutter a little bit. LogMeIn is great to change a setting or find a misplaced file, but the connection it uses isn’t very robust, so accessing Mom’s computer to, say, watch a video she has stored on it is not going to be a satisfying viewing experience.

There are some other limitations to LogMeIn Free. You can’t drag a file from your desktop and drop it into Mom’s; for that, you’d have to upgrade to LogMeIn Pro, which costs $70 annually. Copying and pasting text between machines is not always available, either.

But those are small quibbles, to be honest. What LogMeIn has done for me and my family is better than any therapist. Frustrating phone calls are a thing of the past. Inconvenient house calls are also in the rearview mirror. Now, when there’s a problem, I can quickly and easily get online, assess the situation and do my best to remedy it. Familial tranquillity has been restored.

Well, at least when it comes to the computer.