eBay Privacy & Data Sharing Policy Update April 8, 2024
eBay is updating their privacy policy to disclose use of AI and compliance with new laws and regulations, effective April 8 2024.
Users received an email today with a summary of notable changes:
- Additional information about the personal data we collect, the purposes for which we use that data, and how we share and process personal data within the eBay Inc. corporate family and with other businesses and service providers.
- Additional information about the personal data we process to comply with new consumer, anti-fraud and tax regulations.
- Updates to the regional privacy disclosures to comply with new information requirements.
While eBay does provide a link to the old policy, they do not provide a side by side comparison, which often makes it difficult for users to determine exactly what has changed and how it may impact them.
As always, we highly recommend viewing the full policy yourself, but here are a few important changes users should be aware of:
Changes To Language For Country/Region/Jurisdiction
Multiple sections include changes in language from "international" to "cross-border", and "country" to "jurisdiction" or "region."
These changes are relatively minor and are likely being made just to bring eBay policy in line with language used by various new laws and regulations.
For example:
Older version:
International data transfers
Some recipients of your personal data are located outside your country or have offices in countries where data protection laws may provide a different level of protection than the laws in your country. When transferring personal data to such recipients, we provide appropriate safeguards.
New version:
Cross-border data transfers
Some recipients of your personal data are located outside your jurisdiction or have offices in jurisdictions where data protection laws may provide a different level of protection than the laws in your jurisdiction. When transferring personal data to such recipients, we provide appropriate safeguards.
They've also added a sentence to clarify how your region of residence is determined.
Your region of residence is determined based on your account registration address (as a registered user) or your location (when not registered).
Data From Public Sources
eBay has added "data that is publicly available online" to the list of sources of personal data they may collect, widening the net considerably for eBay's potential data collection efforts.
Old version:
We also collect personal data about you from other sources and from third parties to the extent permitted by applicable law. In particular, this includes the following data:
Data from public sources (e.g. public sanctions lists). Data from credit agencies or bureaus (e.g. credit reports/checks, identity confirmation, data for risk modeling and setting of credit limits).
New version:
We also collect personal data about you from other sources and from third parties to the extent permitted by applicable law. In particular, this includes the following data:
Data from public sources (e.g. public sanctions lists) or that is publicly available online. Data from credit agencies or bureaus (e.g. credit reports/checks, identity confirmation, data for risk modeling and setting of credit limits).
Disclosing Data To Other Users, Carbon Emissions Calculations
Multiple sections have been edited to add that eBay may disclose data they collect not just to affiliates, but also to other users to facilitate transactions, likely in recognition of the INFORM Act in the US as well as new laws and regulations in the UK and Europe that require eBay to provide seller information to buyers in certain situations.
Old version:
We process your personal data in order to fulfill our contract with you and to provide you with our Services.
This includes the following purposes:
Processing of data relating to you or your company for the purpose of entering into a contract with you and executing it.Provision of our Services, including but not limited to enabling and performing transactions with other users (including the transmission of your personal data to other users where necessary to perform the transaction, including in cases of terminated, failed or subsequently voided transactions, e.g. by sharing your return address so a buyer may return an item), displaying your transaction and feedback history to you, providing and enhancing features such as payment processing, ratings, authentication services and eBay account management
New version:
We process your personal data in order to fulfill our contract with you and to provide you with our Services as well as for the execution of the transaction between seller and buyer.
This includes the following purposes:
Processing of data relating to you or your company for the purpose of entering into a contract with you and executing it.Provision of our Services, including but not limited to enabling and performing transactions with other users (including the display and transmission of your personal data to other users where necessary to perform the transaction, including in cases of terminated, failed or subsequently voided transactions, e.g. by sharing your return address so a buyer may return an item), displaying your transaction and feedback history to you, providing and enhancing features such as payment processing, ratings, authentication services and eBay account management
eBay also added additional details under purposes for which collected data may be used, including updating stored payment information and calculating CO2 emissions from purchases - which could be part of eBay's sustainability smokescreen trying to counter brand reputation harm done by ongoing EPA lawsuit.
Old version:
Provision of functions for users that make the processing of transactions easier or more convenient (e.g. administration of several delivery addresses).
New version:
Provision of functions for users that make the processing of transactions easier or more convenient (e.g. administration of several delivery addresses, updating stored payment information from time to time based on information provided by your bank or other payments services providers) or provide users with more information about their transactions (e.g., calculating CO₂ emissions from eBay purchases).
AI Disclosure
A new section was added to disclose the use of Artificial Intelligence or AI-powered tools, confirming seller concerns about the increasing use of AI to replace humans in crucial customer service and trust and safety functions.
Use of Artificial Intelligence or AI-Powered Tools
We may use artificial intelligence or AI-powered tools and products to improve our Services, to offer you new or enhanced features, a customized and personalized experience, to provide you with enhanced customer service, and to support fraud detection.
Those were the most important changes we found - let us know in the comments below if you have questions or concerns about what these changes mean for buyers and sellers on the platform!
No Warranty of Accuracy; Disclaimer. This comparison was created using automated and manual tools. We make no warranty, and expressly disclaim all warranties, as to the accuracy or completeness of the documents, files, data, and information provided.
Excerpts provided are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all changes to the eBay privacy and data sharing policy. As always, we recommend reviewing all terms, conditions and agreements before using the eBay platform.
