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Feds May Soon Be Allowed To Use Cookies

fast66 writes "The White House may lift its policy barring federal Web sites from tracking users' online behavior. In place since 2000, the cookie policy issued by the Office of Management and Budget was intended to protect citizen privacy but has sparked criticism — even from White House officials — for hampering citizen outreach. On Friday, Bev Godwin, the director of online resources and interagency development at the White House's new media office, blogged on the White House Web site, 'We want to use cookies for good, not evil' — and invited the public to comment on cookies through various online channels, including the Office of Science and Technology Policy blog."

2 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No problem by stephanruby · · Score: 0, Troll

    Sarah Palin?? Is that you?

  2. Re:No problem by Falcon4 · · Score: 0, Troll

    You must have those entirely backwards. Java is so poorly sandboxed that it can run applets without warning, it hangs the browser while it loads (again, without warning; and in that, it can crash a system by merely loading), can't be detached from a browser once it's been activated during a session (that is, closing the tab/page doesn't quit Java), program identity can be spoofed (as has been demonstrated by countless malicious Java applets like Last Measure)... it's an absolute atrocity that Java is still around (thanks to Limewire and a small handful of other dwindling Java apps).

    Javascript isn't even capable of getting outside the browser. Some creative Javascript can sniff your history, nothing more. Internet Explorer with Javascript and ActiveX unlock the ability to install malicious software - but we're talking about Internet Explorer. If you want to protect yourself while using Internet Explorer, you don't turn off Javascript and cookies. You turn off Internet Explorer.

    You didn't even make any mention of cookies, not surprisingly. Now, if you would, please get your head out of Sun's arse, and switch your Javascript back on, so I can show you this nifty little bouncing ball animation.