Realistically it won’t be that many people in their networks of data that use the same date, 01-01-1970 in this case, and they might even use that trend of date when possible to infer that you like technology or are in certain circles.
Random dates sound safer to me. I don’t see how using random ones could end up in some unique-to-you pattern.
On one hand I agree, but on the other, if you use 01-01-1970 everywhere, you’d be that one guy (with the IIIII plate), because as I still believe, the amount of people using that date everywhere would never be big enough to void the fields value to the ad networks.
Which is why I think using a random one is best, it at the very least changes my data for each account I own.
But in a purely theoretical way, I do agree. Practically however, I don’t think it will work, since not enough people will do it.
Does that apply to date fields? Most have dropdown menus where you can just do a big scroll and click wherever it lands. Maybe if you had to type one out, but both methods mixed together makes it harder to predict your “pattern” (i would guess).
I’m not fully convinced a unique pattern would emerge in this scenario, but maybe i’m wrong.
If everyone’s using it, then it’s still beneficial in obscuring your actual data. Even better since they can’t just discard the date outright as it is a viable birthdate.
Setting a different date every time sets a (probably unique) pattern. Everyone using the same date every time makes it useless.
Realistically it won’t be that many people in their networks of data that use the same date, 01-01-1970 in this case, and they might even use that trend of date when possible to infer that you like technology or are in certain circles.
Random dates sound safer to me. I don’t see how using random ones could end up in some unique-to-you pattern.
Xkcd illustrates the issue nicely: https://xkcd.com/1105/
On one hand I agree, but on the other, if you use 01-01-1970 everywhere, you’d be that one guy (with the IIIII plate), because as I still believe, the amount of people using that date everywhere would never be big enough to void the fields value to the ad networks.
Which is why I think using a random one is best, it at the very least changes my data for each account I own.
But in a purely theoretical way, I do agree. Practically however, I don’t think it will work, since not enough people will do it.
Humans are bad at coming up with random numbers. Internal biases with show a unique pattern.
Does that apply to date fields? Most have dropdown menus where you can just do a big scroll and click wherever it lands. Maybe if you had to type one out, but both methods mixed together makes it harder to predict your “pattern” (i would guess).
I’m not fully convinced a unique pattern would emerge in this scenario, but maybe i’m wrong.
But what if I was born on New Year’s Day in 1970?
If everyone’s using it, then it’s still beneficial in obscuring your actual data. Even better since they can’t just discard the date outright as it is a viable birthdate.