Beware: AdSense is a spyware!

[Aírmanareiks Þiudareiks]

Yeah, that's a good idea, Mark. I don't understand the guy's problem. Ordinary people have nothing to worry about unless they're involved in criminal activities, in which case, I support Google's tracking of user preferences. This has actually proved useful in apprehending criminals and proving them guilty during some past cases. I think there was also a post about that case somewhere on GC. You might want to check it out.

[zima]

Originally Posted by markhutch

If you don't want to be tracked these days, don't use credit cards, don't talk on a cell phone and for darn sure DON'T surf the Internet. Tracking is part of everyday life and has been for a long time now. Get use to it or move to the high mountains of Idaho, buy a large gun, hunt your own food and live in a tent. There are others that have lived there for years avoiding government tracking.

cell phone: buy a bunch o prepaid starter cards, caryy them at all ties with you and use them in a disposable fashion
Internet: there's always freenet or at least Tor

As I've said, you CAN be anonymous if you want to - but there's always a price. Oh well, apparently some people don't believe that those "privacy violations" are for our own benefit and comfort...perhaps they should try living in a private fashion

[gspy2]

Everyone is tracking, so it's ok to track??

I have nothing to hide, so it's ok to track everyone that visits "Ads by Google" sites??

I would like Google to put a "privacy policy" along side with the "Ads by Google" link saying what Google plans to use the logs obtained from AdSense-enabled sites.

I am not aganst AdSense-enabled sites, just to point out the implications for average, non-computer-savvy people on the Net.

For me, it's not worth it to compromise the privacy of the visitors to my site for a few dollars from Google.

[zima]

http://www.google.com/search?client=...utf-8&oe=utf-8

Why clutter the ads (the point in them is that they're unclutterred...) when you can search?

[gspy2]

Originally Posted by zima

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=google+privacy+policy &sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Why clutter the ads (the point in them is that they're unclutterred...) when you can search?

Right, that's very convenient for everyone to see?!

The sad part of it is that those AdSense-enable sites don't get anything by giving their access logs to Google; only when visitors click the ads do they get paid.

Essentially, Google gets the access logs from the owner of the AdSense-enable sites for the HOPE that the visitors will click the ads. In addition, those average-joe visitors don't know that they are being tracked even if they don't click the ads.

[zima]

And that's very valuable info. And nobody forces Adsense down your throat. Furthermore, you also can see the logs . Also it so happens that your customers don't mind/like such ads most. Also, if anyone cares, he'll for sure know how to use search to find Google privacy policy.
But of course you must have something to yell about. Whataver you like, if it feels to you you're doing some "greater good"

[Lupine1647]

Originally Posted by gspy2

Everyone is tracking, so it's ok to track??

I have nothing to hide, so it's ok to track everyone that visits "Ads by Google" sites??

I would like Google to put a "privacy policy" along side with the "Ads by Google" link saying what Google plans to use the logs obtained from AdSense-enabled sites.

I am not aganst AdSense-enabled sites, just to point out the implications for average, non-computer-savvy people on the Net.

For me, it's not worth it to compromise the privacy of the visitors to my site for a few dollars from Google.

Maybe if the person serving the ads actually had a good privacy policy, then you wouldn't be having a heart attack right now. Any good privacy policy when you're on a website should let the end-user know that anything served off another website to be displayed on the website you're currently visiting can be used in undetermined ways based on the company and in which case the site you are visiting has no responsibility for that company's actions.

Also, the net isn't all hand holding, if it was, then you really wouldn't have a bunch of these companies that we have today.

Also, how do you know Google is using the access logs? Do you work for them? Do you live in their office? Are you a pesky little rat that lives in the corner office that just nibble's on one of the pipes to the servers?

Also, keep in mind, that any website you visit, you're tracked where you go on that website. If you don't think you are, then just throw you're computer out the window now, get a gun, and kill your self.

Besides, why would you want to get paid for sharing your access logs? That's almost like asking pay me because you're breathing in my bubble.