clickie
join:2005-05-22
Monroe, MI
| reply to markopoleo
Re: [HSI] Charter to monitor surfing, insert its own targeted ad
The point isn't the ads, the point is that Charter is peeking into every packet sent to and from your computer and allowing a third party to track what you do via (ostensibly) the MAC address of your cable modem.
People install cookie blockers because they don't want marketers and advertisers creating a profile, regardless of how "anonymous", of where they go on the internet. And I find it highly offensive that they peek into communications I have with the likes of Google to determine my interests. I have to believe that this intrusion is illegal under the ECPA of 1986.
Even if you install ad blockers, they will still create a profile of your habits. And I'm certain they'll sell it to the highest bidder. |
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markopoleo
join:2003-04-02
Bonne Terre, MO
 ·Charter Pipeline
| said by clickie  :The point isn't the ads, the point is that Charter is peeking into every packet sent to and from your computer and allowing a third party to track what you do via (ostensibly) the MAC address of your cable modem. People install cookie blockers because they don't want marketers and advertisers creating a profile, regardless of how "anonymous", of where they go on the internet. And I find it highly offensive that they peek into communications I have with the likes of Google to determine my interests. I have to believe that this intrusion is illegal under the ECPA of 1986. Even if you install ad blockers, they will still create a profile of your habits. And I'm certain they'll sell it to the highest bidder. /shrug Not that big of a deal. No different than the millions of other things that collect data from you. You might as well stop using a visa/mastercard, shopping from stores, paying taxes, etc. Welcome to the future. |
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clickie
join:2005-05-22
Monroe, MI
| So you'd have no problem with your phone company listening into your telephone conversation to your spouse/friend complaining that you've been suffering a bout of constipation, and sending you marketing material for a laxative?
Right now, the Nebuads people say they exclude health issues. That is subject of course, to change at whenever they like.
The big deal for me is that it always starts small. "We're not going to correlate this information to your personal identity" is what they say now, but when? If you think they'll never do that, you're being naive. |
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markopoleo
join:2003-04-02
Bonne Terre, MO
·Charter Pipeline
| said by clickie :So you'd have no problem with your phone company listening into your telephone conversation to your spouse/friend complaining that you've been suffering a bout of constipation, and sending you marketing material for a laxative? Right now, the Nebuads people say they exclude health issues. That is subject of course, to change at whenever they like. The big deal for me is that it always starts small. "We're not going to correlate this information to your personal identity" is what they say now, but when? If you think they'll never do that, you're being naive. No problem at all with it. They do it for Direct Mailing with snail mail already, they have for long as I can remember. Off the top of my head I can think of 4 places that do it already.
Heck even programs do it now, even MS messenger has it, it will put ads in bottom based on browsing habits. The internet is just playing catchup to what everything else in the world does. |
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