funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
 ·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Skype
1 edit | Hmmm... AT&T's On-Ramp?
From the Times article »business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b···8387.ece ...
Through Hitwise, the web-site company it acquired for £120m a year ago, Experian has held talks with internet service providers to sell its monitoring technology.
...The company has recruited a heavyweight board, including David Dorman, the former boss of AT&T... This involves software a 3rd-party is installing inside your ISP to collect information from your data.
It doesn't matter to me that Hitwise isn't an advertiser. It's not the ads that are so offensive, it's the non-optional spying!
Related Topic: »Experian (the credit reporting agency) to track net users
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Robb Topolski -= funchords.com =- Hillsboro, Oregon
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ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA | Sick of this carp
It's one thing to be spying for national security but for financial gain....  |
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DSLdewd
join:2004-06-05
Denver, CO | Why should we care?
If it's not attached to anyone personally...than who cares. If it's just "anon user 1554623 did this, this, and this" than who cares. Really..why should anyone care?
I could be wrong here but that's how I read it. |
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quatrix
Premium
join:2005-02-11
Davie, FL
| said by DSLdewd  :If it's not attached to anyone personally...than who cares. If it's just "anon user 1554623 did this, this, and this" than who cares. Really..why should anyone care? I could be wrong here but that's how I read it. Yeah, but a lot of people fear what they don't understand. Just look at all the alleged computer experts who use NoScript or software firewalls. Paranoia is rampant. |
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knightmb
Everybody Lies
join:2003-12-01
Franklin, TN
·AT&T DSL Service
| said by quatrix :Yeah, but a lot of people fear what they don't understand. Just look at all the alleged computer experts who use NoScript or software firewalls. Paranoia is rampant. I'm certain that the NoScript or Software Firewalls people are probably trying to avoid virus and spyware more than someone getting anonymous click data that they have no control over anyway. 
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DataDoc
My avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.
Premium
join:2000-05-14
Greenville, NC
 ·Suddenlink
| reply to DSLdewd
said by DSLdewd :If it's not attached to anyone personally...than who cares. If it's just "anon user 1554623 did this, this, and this" than who cares. Really..why should anyone care? I could be wrong here but that's how I read it. The thing is they have to make it anonymous by removing an way to link back to a user. And it's just annoying to be tracked without permission.
What if every time you left home, your every move was watched, and they tracked every stop you made, what you looked at, etc. But they said "We'll erase your name from the report, so it's anonymous. But we won't stop doing it, even if you ask."
Still ok with it? |
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drjp81
join:2006-01-09
canada
·TELUS
·TekSavvy Solutions..
2 edits |  You just know this is going nowhere.
I don't know why industry leaders just don't get it. Having a sane business model is based on the idea that customers are getting what they want and that consumers are in line with the general desires of the market.
If I make a distinction between customers and consumers, it is that in this case, the ad marketers are the customers and the average internet browsing joe, is the consumer.
These "Browsing data sales for better ads" seemingly goes squarely against this idea.
And what this means is, some wiseguy, such as myself, will simply devise a way to mask your identity (using a proxy that filters cookies from targeting ad sponsors and only provides a few repeating IP's, for instance) and will be reaping the profits from users that won't be happy with the crap pushed by ISP/Browsing data sellers.
Basically, with even existing low level technology, (and still having others options like DPI tech to fallback on) their business model is already threatened. I for one would never invest in it.
Besides, in my opinion, every other ad will become an ad for porn... just watch.
You want to push more ads? Make them less intrusive and more prevalent. Discreet and effective. Banners, pop-ups and SPAM are not nearly as cost effective as one thinks.
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Cheers! |
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Wills
join:2001-01-03
Port Charlotte, FL
| reply to DataDoc
Re: Why should we care?
said by DataDoc :Still ok with it? Of course they are. As long as people keep acting like sheep, there will always be wolves.
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I have a shaved head, a goatee, and tatoos. Don't you realize the rules don't apply to me. |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype
1 edit | reply to DSLdewd
said by DSLdewd :If it's not attached to anyone personally...than who cares. If it's just "anon user 1554623 did this, this, and this" than who cares. Really..why should anyone care? Because, if it's click-stream data, it's
anon user 1554623 2008-10-02 193307.324 GMT - hXXp://www.dslreports.com/speak/remark,21204812;cc83n8293rn89hhfch9ehnf278hnc9hgu7hgfshurh9283h9vbvr2978yr9b23ycbr92yb923ycbr923yc b8923rybc9y
which ISPs have already been selling. Now, with their spying box inside the network, they possibly can also see what you're seeing on that page in real time! Every word you type.
So "anon user 1554623" doesn't anonymize me, since they can just look at who posted a reply into Topic 21204812 at that time and date and see that it's me.
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Robb Topolski -= funchords.com =- Hillsboro, Oregon
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DabberDan
join:2004-11-15
Gatineau, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| said by funchords :said by DSLdewd :If it's not attached to anyone personally...than who cares. If it's just "anon user 1554623 did this, this, and this" than who cares. Really..why should anyone care? Because, if it's click-stream data, it's anon user 1554623 2008-10-02 193307.324 GMT - hXXp://www.dslreports.com/speak/remark,21204812;cc83n8293rn89hhfch9ehnf278hnc9hgu7hgfshurh9283h9vbvr2978yr9b23ycbr92yb923ycbr923yc b8923rybc9y So "anon user 1554623" doesn't anonymize me, since they can just look at who posted a reply into Topic 21204812 at that time and date and see that it's me. Man, that couldn't have been crafted any better. Here's a nail and a hammer 
To make matters worse, substitute the URL for any sort of service: torrent, google search queries, usenet, ect... (this includes porn BTW .
Even if it's on SSL, URLs could still give you away.
What was that individual that got discovered from what was supposed to be anonymous data that was collected? I think this was last year maybe? A lady? |
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AstroBoy
join:2008-08-08
Parkville, MD | Do phone companies sell call history?
Do phone companies sell call history? |
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MTU
Premium
join:2005-02-15
San Luis Obispo, CA | Better to ask the cellular providers. It's a hot topic since, in addition to numbers dialed, it often includes 'web' browsing info and your lat/lon. |
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anony101
@comcast.net
| Immagine your company's website modified by 3rd party
Without your consent
»www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/29···hitwise/ |
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meh37
@verizon.net
| Money wasted
The people with products/services to sell would do just as well to take their ad budget and throw 90% of it in the trash bin (or, better yet, remove that 90% from their product pricing)--I ignore ads completely (when I ever see them) whether on web pages or TV or wherever (except for certain magazines). I'd no more buy something based on some ad (should I ever see it) than I would as a result of some spam I received. Advertising is based on the faulty premise that enough people care enough to pay attention and follow-up, which might happen 10% of the time. |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype
| reply to DabberDan
Re: Why should we care?
said by DabberDan :What was that individual that got discovered from what was supposed to be anonymous data that was collected? I think this was last year maybe? A lady? Thelma Arnold? Or User 927? AOL Scandal ... and that was just search engine data, not click stream or DPI.
This needs to stop.
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Robb Topolski -= funchords.com =- Hillsboro, Oregon
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clickie
join:2005-05-22
Monroe, MI | reply to DSLdewd
We care because it isn't much of a jump for Experian to NOT make it anonymous.
These people *do* have your social security number, your address, your income, your debts...
Then what? |
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CtrlAltDel
WORSE. THAN. CARTER.
Arbitrary Text
join:2001-12-30
Backyard
 ·1and1
·Verizon Online DSL
·Comcast
| Time For TOR ?
I think a lot of folks will opt for »www.torproject.org/ or one of the many free anonymous proxies to keep their browsing private.
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»www.obamacrimes.com/
»www.anobamanation.net/ |
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Experian Sux
@comcast.net | reply to clickie
Re: Why should we care?
These people are scumbags. |
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disgusted
@co.uk | forget moral or ethical...
How in the world can this be legal? |
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DabberDan
join:2004-11-15
Gatineau, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| reply to CtrlAltDel
Re: Time For TOR ?
said by CtrlAltDel :I think a lot of folks will opt for » www.torproject.org/ or one of the many free anonymous proxies to keep their browsing private. That would mask your IP, but what about the actual URL you are trying to access? This is what they are after, it's what gives them something to sell... |
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