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Comment by nobody9999 | Hacker News Reader

>This seems like it's mostly about retail situations. I just say no in the situations.

I just say it's "against my religion." That usually works pretty well.

Websites are the problem. You can't say "no thanks" to a required form field. (The obvious retort of "well don't shop there" is a no-go.)

I've given "none-of-your-business" data to companies that don't need it for a long time, (e.g. my middle name, shockingly, is your domain name, so weird!) but it CAN bite you if you forget your password and they ask for your birthday as proof of who you are.

I get asked my birthday so seldomly that I always forget what my new forever birthday is going to be by the next time I need it.

Doesn't work for birthday, but for random none of your business fields, I often use data about the site itself. Give them their own address and use abuse@theirdomain.com for the email.

For birthdays, I always just pick the nearest static holiday. So eg if you’re born July 9th, I’d just put July 4th for everything. Then when it’s time for recall, it’s as simple as “does this need a real birthday or a marketing birthday” and pick July 4th or 9th.

For years I have been putting postmaster@<domain> for required email-to-download forms. Enjoy reading your own spam, jerks.

I love giving nonsensical answers. To the people trying to sell me newspapers in the street I usually reply "I don't read". For the door-to-door charity folk I tend to use variations on "I don't like [whatever their charity is for]". E.g. I don't like children.

This usually confuses them enough so you can get clear before they recompose themselves.

If you want to mess with them a bit, use the answer my great-grandfather put on his WWII draft card.

Phone: Yes

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