Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Berners-Lee Rejects Tracking

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the along-with-everyone-else dept.

kernowyon writes "The BBC has an interview with Sir Tim Berners-Lee during his visit to the UK on their website currently. In it, he voices his concern about the practice of tracking activity on the internet — with particular reference to Phorm. Quotes Sir Tim with regard to his data — "It's mine — you can't have it. If you want to use it for something, then you have to negotiate with me.""

3 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. It's all nicey by mapkinase · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...but will it have any effect on powers that are in charge? As for influence on us, most users who know who he is already share this position.

    --
    I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
  2. Negotiation done! by TheGreek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "It's mine -- you can't have it. If you want to use it for something, then you have to negotiate with me."
    "This content is mine; you can't have it. If you want to access it for free, you have to let me track your activity."
  3. Re:On behalf of Phorm by thechanklybore · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Again, like the other respondent, I question your understanding of your own system if you believe that a simple cookie is a valid "Opt-Out" from Phorm. Maybe you could enlighten all of us Slashdotters as to how redirecting all of the traffic from a customers
    internet connection to the Phorm network even when the "opt-out" cookie is set is opting out?

    "By contrast, ad targeting from other major Internet companies means that potentially identifiable personal data is stored for over 12 months before it is even anonymised. Also, because these companies reach nearly all UK Internet users, consumers effectively have no real choice about being targeted in this way.
    "

    This is completely disingenuous. Whatever Google et al do with my data *I* have chosen to go to their site, *I* have chosen to perform a search. The Phorm method of gathering data is not comparable. If all of a person's HTTP traffic was routed through Google you may find a few people disagreeing with this too!