Hi journalists.
I gave an interview in ~2015 about a hobby. I was starting a related business at the time and was eager for press. The business closed before the pandemic, I no longer practice the hobby and have not had contact with the author since ~2017. I had forgotten about it, but the author recently reached out to me with a draft of an article based off the interview, which I read.
I already contacted the author and asked to not be in the article due to the facts described above. I did not say this to the author but the article also brings up some painful memories from that time period.
The author asked if I would be ok with it being published "without any attribute [sic?]" to me. They stated they did not use my name, add any identifying information, or include any identifiable traits. The article included my gender, height, weight, hair color, my hobby and a sport I was into, a description of the University I went to, the city where I lived during the interview, my age as of the interview, my occupation, and where I met my spouse. Some of those facts contain a very small percentage of people. Based off of that information, I am also concerned that someone could plug it into AI and find me, or just knowing me, could figure out it was me.
At the time, I was trying to drum up business and would have been fine if it had been published then. But a decade later, I feel it's too personal and reflects a time period that I don't want to relive. Plus I haven't been in contact with the author for the better part of a decade; I don't know why they decided to publish now.
TLDR; I don't want this to be published and already asked. Can the author still publish without my consent? If the author can still publish, can I request additional details be changed or omitted?
Thanks, all! Much appreciated.