Beware: AdSense is a spyware!

[gspy2]

By design, AdSense tracks every access to every AdSense-enabled web sites for billing and payment purposes. Essentially, an AdSense-enabled web site gives its web log to Google in real-time.

That means every time you visit a site with a "Ads by Gooogle" sign, you will leave a digital footprint on Google's system (even if you don't click their ads). Google can definitely track you by using the IP address. It may also use cookie to track you.

In essence, each AdSense-enabled web site is host that monitors activities on the Internet for Google.

AdSense is not just an advertising platform; it's also a "spying" platform for average people who don't know the implications.

[Jimbob1989]

Your new aint you?

[Lupine1647]

heh, yea, any advertising network could do that. Also, ever hear of a HOSTS file and oh what's this thing called Javascript?

[markhutch]

Man this is crazy. I think the problem has come from anti-spyware companies marketing their products. They lump any kind of advertising into spyware these days to sell their software and people are believing it. It's funny that these same folks that believe stuff like this and worry are the same ones that will open an attachement that says it's from the FBI.

[zima]

Basically, you WILL be tracked during your voyages on the www no matter what these days, unless you're using something like Tor, which will give you a performance hit (that's the price of anonymity...).
Anyway, term "spyware" is essentially for things that not only track you, but are not upfront in how they're using this info (Google is); and also, things that install not exactly with your permission on your machine/slow it down.

[gspy2]

Originally Posted by zima

Basically, you WILL be tracked during your voyages on the www no matter what these days, unless you're using something like Tor, which will give you a performance hit (that's the price of anonymity...).
Anyway, term "spyware" is essentially for things that not only track you, but are not upfront in how they're using this info (Google is); and also, things that install not exactly with your permission on your machine/slow it down.

True that Internet users are being tracked by various companies, but I hate to be tracked by a single powerful company that has very good search technologies.

If fact, AdSense is worse than a "spyware," because it gives you the impression of something else (serving ads), yet the side effect is mornitoring.
(Imaging Google gets all the web logs of 90% of Intenet web sites.)

That's the protential danger. Think about it.

[zima]

Yeah, yeah, go to Rosevell or something, there you'll find alot of conspiracy theorists...
Because you haven't adressed at all the thing that you CAN be anonymous if you WANT to and that Google states very clearly how it uses the information

[BadBoy]

Even though Google publicly acknowledges this, I wouldn't be as worried about this as much as.......the US government tracking my footprints. Not sure what country you live in, but what would you rather have? Google tracking you and letting you know it, or a government that does so without your consent?

[Lupine1647]

I couldn't really care if Google knows where I go. if they find what I visit interesting, let them have at it.

[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.