seagreen
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join:2001-05-14
out there
 ·Rock Island Commun..
Host:
CenturyTel
Wireless Service P..
Southern California
HughesNet Satellite
WildBlue Satellite
1 edit | reply to GeekJedi
Re: Centurytel drops NebuAd
said by GeekJedi  :The proof is there - NebuAd is history. I think that that conclusion is premature, at best. They apparently are waiting to see which way the congressional winds are blowing before proceeding. No where do they state that they figured out it was a really bad idea to be spying on their customers.  |
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GeekJedi
RF is Good For You
Premium
join:2001-06-21
Mukwonago, WI
clubs:
·CenturyLink
 ·VOIPo
·Vonage
 ·RoadRunner Cable
2 edits | Sounds to me like they've given it up. Seeing as they're telling anyone who asks as much, and changing their privacy policy is pretty concrete proof.
If they were simply waiting on congress, why go through the trouble of changing anything? It would be much better from a PR standpoint to say nothing and continue on as usual. That way, if they decide to actually continue, they wouldn't have to tip their hand, since the wording would already be there. It seems to me that they realize that it isn't going anywhere, and instead of saying "oops" they're using this as an out - "delaying" it forever, essentially.
It makes little sense to go as far as to openly say they aren't going to do it *and* change their privacy policy to reflect that, only to flip-flop down the road.
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The goal of the broadcast engineer is to get all the meters on the transmitter to go as far to the right as possible!! |
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seagreen
Premium,Mod
join:2001-05-14
out there | I guess I'm just skeptical because, (to me), any company who has once shown their willingness to engage in nefarious behavior will likely do so again. |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC | Your skepticism is healthy -- keep it.
That said, corporations don't admit that they were wrong. Something being suspended indefinitely is probably the best we're ever going to get from Charter, CenturyTel, or Embarq. |
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GeekJedi
RF is Good For You
Premium
join:2001-06-21
Mukwonago, WI
clubs:
·CenturyLink
·VOIPo
·Vonage
·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | reply to seagreen
I understand, but to quote Hanlon:
"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."
I don't think the people involved thought for a minute that what they were doing was nefarious. They simply were offered a way to potentially generate a new revenue stream. For companies, it's easy to see things the way you want to see them when there is money involved.
Believe me, I'm not defending them, but I do understand how big business works. Many times, the "evil plot" was simply hatched by some middle manager who doesn't know any better.
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The goal of the broadcast engineer is to get all the meters on the transmitter to go as far to the right as possible!! |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype
| That's fine, but -- especially in the TelCo world -- there's stupidity and there's criminal wiretapping.
I've checked 18 USC 2511 and I can't find the Stupidity defense.      |
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GeekJedi
RF is Good For You
Premium
join:2001-06-21
Mukwonago, WI
clubs: | Yeah, but you really can't compare the two... |
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seagreen
Premium,Mod
join:2001-05-14
out there
·Rock Island Commun..
Host:
CenturyTel
Wireless Service P..
Southern California
HughesNet Satellite
WildBlue Satellite
3 edits | reply to GeekJedi
Well, I got the email today from CTel:
said by email :
CenturyTel is not currently using online behavioral advertising tools in any of its markets, and we are delaying our plans to move forward with the deployment of online behavioral advertising services - either through NebuAd or any other vendor - at this time. CenturyTel is delaying its implementation plans so that Congress can spend additional time addressing the privacy issues and policies associated with online behavioral advertising.
This is, in no way, particularly reassuring. They clearly are not renouncing the concept. I believe the company suits continue to look at this potential revenue stream with great longing and that our privacy will once again be for sale once they figure out a way to implement this scheme in a way that won't come back to bite them legally.
edit to add: It's also clear that NebuAd isn't giving up and will be looking at ways to "educate" our lawmakers and privacy advocates. NebuAD Responds To ISP Backlash. In other words, they'll throw some money around where they think it will do them some good.
What is particularly telling is that they are not simply going to an "opt-in" setup which would likely fail spectacularly. It continues to be an "opt-out" scenario which clearly they assume the average person connecting to the Internet will not do. |
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