Yes, I understand how cookies work.. I understand their intended uses. I'm also aware that web advertising companies use cookies attached to images to keep track of which sites you visit to better target ads. Yes, on some browsers you can off cookies originating from other servers, but most people don't. As a result they can keep track of where 'privacy conscious' individuals like myself surf. And as someone else already stated there are security flaws with the current implementation of cookies in popular browsers that allow a server to read any cookies on the client.
There is a major difference between the ideal of internal security, and respecting the privacy of others. I'm sure that they have all sorts of security measures protecting their own internal systems, but that doesn't mean that they're not above prying into other peoples' systems. Ask them how much they'd sell all of their own accounting and corporate purchasing information for, I'm sure they wouldn't let it part very easily. Most politicians have no problems snooping on their opponents and dragging out other people's dirty laundry, but I'm sure they all also make sure that any and every aspect of their own personal lives stays hidden behind closed doors.
I think it might be too late to do anything about this, really for one major reason.
Most people don't care.
The majority of consumers purchasing software don't really care (or don't know enough to care) about maintaining the privacy of their computer components. A lot of people would gladly trade in a little bit of privacy in order to gain the percieved notion of more robust software.
Most people would not only accept, but also welcome the idea of their software reporting information back about their systems if they were given the explanation that it would make future software run better on their computer.
If people cared about their digital privacy, wouldn't there be a much bigger stink about cookies?
The idea of a game that sends back video card information, for the goal of making future releases work better; isn't that far away from the idea of a site keeping track of your web surfing, for the goal of making your future visits more pleasurable.
Computer networks and e-mail are a god-send for government spy agencies. It's much easier to spy on people if they are exchanging data in clear-text, over public networks. I figure it's only a matter of time before anything and everything we do on the net is tracked and cataloged. Sending sensitive data through unencrypted e-mail is just plain stupid nowadays, even if you aren't worried about the government reading it someone else will.
Slashdot Mirror
Yes, I understand how cookies work.. I understand their intended uses. I'm also aware that web advertising companies use cookies attached to images to keep track of which sites you visit to better target ads. Yes, on some browsers you can off cookies originating from other servers, but most people don't. As a result they can keep track of where 'privacy conscious' individuals like myself surf. And as someone else already stated there are security flaws with the current implementation of cookies in popular browsers that allow a server to read any cookies on the client.
There is a major difference between the ideal of internal security, and respecting the privacy of others. I'm sure that they have all sorts of security measures protecting their own internal systems, but that doesn't mean that they're not above prying into other peoples' systems. Ask them how much they'd sell all of their own accounting and corporate purchasing information for, I'm sure they wouldn't let it part very easily. Most politicians have no problems snooping on their opponents and dragging out other people's dirty laundry, but I'm sure they all also make sure that any and every aspect of their own personal lives stays hidden behind closed doors.
I think it might be too late to do anything about this, really for one major reason.
Most people don't care.
The majority of consumers purchasing software don't really care (or don't know enough to care) about maintaining the privacy of their computer components. A lot of people would gladly trade in a little bit of privacy in order to gain the percieved notion of more robust software.
Most people would not only accept, but also welcome the idea of their software reporting information back about their systems if they were given the explanation that it would make future software run better on their computer.If people cared about their digital privacy, wouldn't there be a much bigger stink about cookies?
The idea of a game that sends back video card information, for the goal of making future releases work better; isn't that far away from the idea of a site keeping track of your web surfing, for the goal of making your future visits more pleasurable.
Computer networks and e-mail are a god-send for government spy agencies. It's much easier to spy on people if they are exchanging data in clear-text, over public networks. I figure it's only a matter of time before anything and everything we do on the net is tracked and cataloged. Sending sensitive data through unencrypted e-mail is just plain stupid nowadays, even if you aren't worried about the government reading it someone else will.