Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Netscape Pays $100,000 To Settle Privacy Issue

Posted by Hemos on from the putting-the-issue-out-to-pasture dept.

crazyhorse44 writes ""The New York Attorney General's office said on Friday Netscape would pay $100,000 as part of a settlement of complaints about a feature used by the unit of America Online to track what users downloaded online. Netscape, once the browser pioneer that has fallen second to Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer in recent years, would also delete all URLs and related data it has obtained through its SmartDownload browser software and undergo privacy audits, the Attorney General's office said. The settlement comes after a two-year probe, begun in 2002, into Netscape's collection and retention of information that identified files downloaded by users, which contradicted its statement to consumers that none of the information was saved." Story at Wired."

11 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. Hold on by Ian+Harris · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The settlement comes after a two-year probe, begun in 2002"

    1. Re:Hold on by paulcammish · · Score: 3, Funny
      "The settlement comes after a two-year probe, begun in 2002"

      Slashdot
      News for Nerds, Stuff that will matter.

  2. sooooooo 2003 :) by mirko · · Score: 1, Funny

    The settlement comes after a two-year probe, begun in 2002
    I didn't know we already were in 2004.
    must've fallen asleep.
    I should take more caffein.

    --
    Trolling using another account since 2005.
    1. Re:sooooooo 2003 :) by I+Want+GNU! · · Score: 4, Funny
      The settlement comes after a two-year probe, begun in 2002
      I didn't know we already were in 2004.
      Didn't you hear? AOL is teaming up with the RIAA to fight piracy. Those several months of heavy litigation were equivalent to two years of lighter litigation.
  3. How Dare They! by secondsun · · Score: 0, Funny

    Those monopolistic bastards and Micro$haft have gone too far for the last time. We all know how since they have bought two-thirds of the US Govt. and DOJ that they can now do anything. I mean 100,000$ settlement? What is that? This company is worth billions. I will never use IE again...

    Wait... Netscape... My head... OWIEEEEE... *BOOM*

    --
    There is nothing wrong with being gay. It's getting caught where the trouble lies.
  4. The reason for the low amount by arvindn · · Score: 2, Funny

    The settlement was reached based on a fine of $10000 for every user of the netscape software.

  5. Slashdot wins FutureGoof competition by jkrise · · Score: 1, Funny

    Wait! You aren't supposed to _read_ anything before posting.

    Even if you read, don't _think_ !! Just consume, don't criticize...

    --
    If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
  6. Who gets the $100,000? by Zog+The+Undeniable · · Score: 4, Funny

    Given the number of Netscape users these days, that should be about $25,000 each :-)

    --
    When I am king, you will be first against the wall.
  7. Re:Booh Netscape by cloudless.net · · Score: 1, Funny

    You are probably the first Slashdot reader who trusts AOL.

  8. Re:Booh Netscape by Pocharngo · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, I am. But that's not what stings. What stings is that Netscape was in the position (sought after or not) to look like it was everything MS wasn't (for example, being able to produce a good browser... ;-) ), and that's apparently changed. Well, I shouldn't be surprised, things do change. No sane person would argue today that Netscape is a better browser than IE. 5 years ago, however, things were very different.

  9. Re:Only $100,000? by muffen · · Score: 2, Funny

    1. Collect information. 2. Do statistical analysis and correlations. 3. $$$$

    You mean to say the underpant gnomes actually figured out step 2 ;)