Paypal drew the fury of the internet after revealing its new terms of service last week. The online payment platform's new user agreement gives the company the right to send automated texts and robocalls to users whenever it wants to.
Furthermore, a new clause in the agreement allows Paypal to contact customers about promotions and surveys using phone numbers they did not provide Paypal directly. The Washington Post pointed out that Paypal can essentially use contact numbers acquired from 'other sources' to bombard customers with pre-recorded calls and texts.
What set the internet aflame however, was Paypal's tone deaf response to complaints about the new changes they instituted. Credit.com posted an exchange that took place between a customer and Paypal's customer service on the company's official Facebook page. The customer was essentially asked to accept the new changes or shut down his account:
When PayPal consumer Robert Pascarella questioned PayPal about the terms of service on the company's Facebook page recently, he requested an opt-out for the provision and was shot down.
"Regrettably, there isn't an opt out option to certain items within our User Agreement," PayPal responded. When he objected, PayPal posted directions for closing his account.
Paypal spokespersons have since reached out to various news outlets and clarified details about opting out of the new terms of service. In a statement made to BGR, Paypal says: "Our policy is to honour customers' requests to decline to receive auto-dialed or prerecorded calls."However, the company has yet to divulge the steps a user must take for opting out of their new promotions program.
The Verge notes that Paypal acquiring numbers from outside sources is not a new thing for the company. The current terms of service indicate that the ways users provide a telephone number "include, but are not limited to" providing a telephone number at account opening, adding a telephone number to your account later, giving it to an employee, or by using it to call PayPal."
Paypal's new terms of service will take effect on July 1, 2015.
