fwiw - check for updates is turned on by default - its running on every newly installed hosting the first time you log in as host
- its not something you need to turn on - its there when the platform is installed - it requires a direct action to turn it off.
- and it fires before you have the chance to opt out of it.

All I'm describing is what is actually going on in the server - sure yes okay the email address is in a different table on the database - i went back to change some typos but the forum server timed out before i could hit save - but not exactly sure what different that makes - its still information that is being used in a way that is possibly not explained to users before they enter it.

If you can show or demonstrate where a user that has just installed dnn and subscribed to a newsletter - gives permission for that email address to be used in any other way than to add their name to a newsletter list - then well its not an issue - but as far as I am aware that permission is not given.

AS for using an email address to keep a newsletter fresh when an automated call home to a server for some other purpose 'checking for available updates' is triggered - hmm - pretty sure that's a form of profiling that a person might need to give permission for - but sure that's something for lawyers to fight over the validity of.

But by way of your own arguement that its not a reliable way of collecting data because it can be easily turned off
- all I was suggesting is that the sending of the the email should be turned off
- and since its so easily defeat-able that should not be an issue since its of little value or reliability if that is in fact what it was being used for.

Ironically pretty sure this is actually the sort of thing that microsoft and a few companies got in huge trouble over with in early versions of their online update services/

Seems like there needs to be at least one action taken
- either a clearly displayed privacy and usage statement that explains to the user what they are actually opting into - and how that email address may be used
- or stop sending the email each time a hosting calls home to check for available updates.

Westa

Any identifying piece of information has no business being in a version checking url, regardless of turning some option on or off. I am  interested to know why it's there in the first place.