This happens a lot: I apply for a job and they ask for my complete address. Why? I would understand if they just want to know what city/town I’m in: That has bearing on how easily I can get to the office.

But why do they need to know my street address?

The only thing I can think: Indeed/LinkedIn/take-your-pick is building a profile of me based on this info, using my street as a proxy for my income, credit score, or, ultimately, for my social class.

From now on, when they ask me, I’m just going to put a rich person’s address. For this one I used a Brooklyn townhouse where Maggie Gyllenhaal and one of the Saarsgaards lives.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    2
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    Isn’t your (and everyone else’s) address public information anyways in your country?

    Here you can search for whoever and find their full name, address, and a bunch for information. If you pay a small sum to a company (or call the tax agency yourself for free, but that’s annoying) you can also find out how much money someone is earning.

    Almost every phone number is also available and searchable online.

    All this information is also available if you for example know the car plate number of someone’s car.

      • @thesmokingman
        link
        27 months ago

        In the US this is a web search or two away. I’d assume a majority of other places have similar setups from phone companies, public records, and data brokers.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        1
        edit-2
        7 months ago

        In the Nordics.

        Edit: why did someone downvote me, lol?

        Do they think I am lying or what‽

      • tiredofsametab
        link
        fedilink
        17 months ago

        I mean, phone books were a thing in the US until very recently and one had to pay to not be listed (at least where I lived)