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Does Stack Exchange collect information about what EL&U users browse when they are not on the Stack Exchange site?

Is this information sold or passed on to third parties?

If for example, a user happens to support an environmental activist charity (for example Greenpeace), are they going to find themselves turned down for visas for countries which regard such charities as terrorist organisations because SE has handed over data to some unscrupulous company who has likewise passed it on?

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    This type of questions is better asked on the main Meta. And probably there's already an answer there. – Massimo Ortolano Jun 12 '18 at 18:26
  • There's a lot about GDPR on Meta.SE and SE blogs and the like. – Andrew Leach♦ Jun 12 '18 at 19:31
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    @MassimoOrtolano No, they're ignoring the issue over there. – Araucaria Jun 12 '18 at 22:15
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    I am not sure about exactly what sort of information they do pass on, but you may want to re-read the privacy policy which delimits most of the details regarding the type of information they are able to collect about you, how they collect it, and how they may share it. – Tonepoet Jun 13 '18 at 11:44
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    @Tonepoet That policy is lousy precisely because it doesn't do that - or at least not in a clear or transparent way. – Araucaria Jun 13 '18 at 12:22
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    I've just looked at the policy, and it seemed to me to be very detailed and specific. For example, under Q&A content they detail the specific information collected there and what it's used for, and under Talent they do the same. So I suggest updating the question to identify specific shortcomings of the policy that you see and want more information about. – MetaEd♦ Jun 13 '18 at 15:37
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    @MetaEd I agree that where the info collected is uncontroversial and common-sensical SE have gone out of their way to be explicit. Great. The problem is, as indicated in the post, what info they collect about you OFF-SITE. They state they also collect: Data from advertising technologies like cookies, web beacons, pixels, ad tags, and browser/device identifiers Information you have provided to us directly including profile information, your Developer Story, and in limited instances your job history Usage analytics including ... browsing and search history. – Araucaria Jun 14 '18 at 8:44
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    @MetaEd And here, they are NOT explicit about whether, for example, that browsing and search history is while you are on or off the SE network (although it is certainly presented to maximise the perception that it is only on SE by juxtaposing this info with site-visit info - which I suspect is deliberately misleading). They also say absolutely NOTHING about what this data entails. It is just, enigmatically, data. So, I am asking if they can be specific about all the information they are collecting - not just the stuff we would nod about and agree that they have been specific about. – Araucaria Jun 14 '18 at 9:29
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    @MetaEd That paragraph has been buried amongst all the innocuous stuff. Typical "buried is the small print" ... There's similar stuff in the cookies policy. I'd just like users to be able know exactly what info is being collected. :-) – Araucaria Jun 14 '18 at 9:29
  • @JJJ Thanks. Good idea. I might try that if I don't get anywhere here. – Araucaria Jun 14 '18 at 13:11
  • Have you downloaded what you can download about yourself? I am not sure what format is most effective for reading this. – Xanne Jun 15 '18 at 20:20
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    The question belongs on main meta. – Kris Jul 4 '18 at 6:46
  • @Kris It's a warning for people here on EL&U who may not go to main Meta. – Araucaria Jul 4 '18 at 20:25

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