Walmart Privacy Policy (Do they sell your data + other FAQs)
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As one of the world’s largest retailers, Walmart has enormous economic power — but with it comes enormous responsibility, especially to its customers. If you think Walmart collects data about its customers, you’re right, but what to do with that data?
Also, what is Walmart’s privacy policy regarding customer data? We don’t always take this into account when signing up or shopping, so here’s what you need to know!
What is Walmart’s 2022 Privacy Policy?
Walmart’s privacy policy shows that in 2022 the company will collect vast amounts of data from customers, including basic personal information, but also educational, financial, demographic, location and even biometric data. This information may be shared or sold, but only as personal information of customers. agree. In California, this consent may be revoked.
To learn more about all the types of data Walmart collects and how they handle it, whether Walmart is subject to HIPAA laws, and how Walmart keeps your data safe, read on for all the FAQs!
What data does Walmart collect?
As a massive multinational company, Walmart stores and understands vast amounts of customer data.
A lot of it you might not even realize you’re giving up, or it might be important.
Some of the information Walmart collects includes:
- Basic contact information, including name and address, phone number and email address
- Internet and Network Activity
- driver’s license number
- Demographics (age, etc.)
- Financial Information
- Health and Insurance Information
- Information about protected characteristics, such as gender or nationality
- Order history
- Iris/retina image and fingerprint
- geolocation information
- employment
- educate
- your preferences and habits
This information may be provided by you or other members of your household, or may come from the device you use.
It could also be shared by another company that is a Walmart subsidiary (such as Sam’s Club), or it could just be from surveillance footage of your inside a Walmart store.
Walmart tries to stress that they collect this information primarily to optimize the shopping experience for customers and to keep the website and other technology secure.
It’s clear, however, that Walmart shares data with third-party sellers on the marketplace across its family of companies and even other companies.
While they probably won’t sell it outright, you can be sure that if it doesn’t help them make a profit in some way, Walmart won’t collect it in the first place.
You cannot ask Walmart to delete your personal information unless you live in California.
Unfortunately, only California has passed comprehensive privacy protection laws that allow residents to revoke their consent to the collection of data.
While Nevada passed legislation that would allow customers to ask companies not to sell their data, Walmart could reverse that rule because they only share data.
Will Walmart share your information?
Walmart does share your information with affiliates, third parties, service providers, law enforcement and financial service providers.
Walmart appears to be cautious in this regard and won’t sell customer data because “sharing” allows them to circumvent some laws, such as in Nevada.
Please note the section on this page that reads Nevada Privacy Rights.
“Walmart will not sell your personal information for money,” it wrote after explaining that Nevada consumers can ask not to sell their personal information.
The key word, however, is “for the money,” suggesting that there may be some other barter system between Walmart and the companies that mine/analyze such data.
You can ask Walmart to stop collecting your data only if you live in California, which should begin on the date your request is received.
Unfortunately, there is currently no overarching federal law protecting consumers from selling or sharing their personal information.
Does Walmart follow HIPAA?
Walmart does comply with HIPAA laws, but you must read its Notice of Privacy Practices carefully.
You will find a section that reads “If you have any questions about this notice, please contact HIPAA Compliance, Walmart Inc….”
Additionally, it says that if you believe your HIPAA rights have been violated, you can contact Walmart’s Compliance Officer.
(You can also contact the Secretary of Health and Human Services directly.)
Of course, HIPAA states that personal health information, or PHI, can only be disclosed with the patient’s consent or, in certain circumstances, with no consent.
How does Walmart keep your data safe?
Walmart said it safeguards personal information through “reasonable security measures, including physical, administrative and technical safeguards.”
they go on,
“These measures may include physical and technical security access controls or other safeguards, information security techniques and policies, procedures to help ensure proper disposal of information, and training programs. “
Unfortunately, it’s as deep as the security measures Walmart is willing to take, but you can bet that a big company like this can afford the best.
To that end, customers can help protect personal information in a small but important way: choosing strong passwords instead of using the same password over and over.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on Walmart’s international strategy, what is Walmart, and is Walmart safe.
in conclusion
Walmart is one of the largest retailers in the world, and as a result, the company has access to a wealth of customer data that is shared but not sold.
In addition to complying with HIPAA laws (where customers’ medical information may be crossed with other stores), the company insists on keeping such data strictly secure.
