Green Energy
I don't know. I'm not happy about this, in conjunction with WhiteHouse.snitch but frankly I thought they already used tracking cookies. Most every other place does.
from the ACLU (h/t In Mary's Image)
Government Proposes Massive Shift In Online Privacy Policy
(8/10/2009)
Changes Would Pose Serious Threat To Americans’ Personal Information, Says ACLU
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union submitted comments today to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) opposing its recent proposal to reverse current federal policy and allow the use of web tracking technologies, like cookies, on federal government websites. Cookies can be used to track an Internet user’s every click and are often linked across multiple websites; they frequently identify particular people.
Since 2000, it has been the policy of the federal government not to use such technology. But the OMB is now seeking to change that policy and is considering the use of cookies for tracking web visitors across multiple sessions and storing their unique preferences and surfing habits. Though this is a major shift in policy, the announcement of this program consists of only a single page from the federal register that contains almost no detail.
“This is a sea change in government privacy policy,” said Michael Macleod-Ball, Acting Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “Without explaining this reversal of policy, the OMB is seeking to allow the mass collection of personal information of every user of a federal government website. Until the OMB answers the multitude of questions surrounding this policy shift, we will continue to raise our strenuous objections.”
The use of cookies allows a website to differentiate between users and build a database of each user’s viewing habits and the information they share with the site. Since web surfers frequently share information like their name or email address (if they’ve signed up for a service) or search request terms, the use of cookies frequently allows a user’s identity and web surfing habits to be linked. In addition, websites can allow third parties, such as advertisers, to also place cookies on a user’s computer.
“Americans rely on the information from the federal government to research politics, medical issues and legal requirements. The OMB is now asking to retain the personal and identifiable information we leave behind,” said Christopher Calabrese, Counsel for the ACLU Technology and Liberty Project. “No American should have to sacrifice privacy or risk surveillance in order to access free government information. No policy change should be adopted without wide ranging debate including information on the restrictions and uses of cookies as well as impact on privacy.”
- The Information You Submit To The Government Via Obamacare Will Be Placed In The Hands Of Law Enforcement
THE HEALTCARE BONE'S CONNECTED TO THE LAW BONE IS THIS NOT THE DEFINITION OF TOTALITARIANISM? From the Weekly Standard: Maryland's Health Connection, the state's Obamacare marketplace, has been plagued by delays in the first days of...
- And The National Security Interest Here Is. . .?
Chicago Tribune: DEA using vast AT&T database: New York Times report (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement officials investigating drug crimes have had access, using subpoenas, to a large AT&T Inc database that contains the records of phone calls...
- On Privacy: Tips On Trying To Stay Anonymous On The Internet
Instead of Google search directly, use https://startpage.com They use Google search but they place themselves as the middle-man. You send whatever you want to search for to startpage, they send your request to Google as though it was from them. Then...
-
StartingPage performs Google web searches with privacy Long live StartingPage.Every time you use a regular search engine, your search data is recorded. Major search engines capture your IP address and use tracking cookies to make a record of your search...
- Storm Track Appeasement: Aclu Joins The Aluminum Foil Hat Brigade
From The Gathering Storm The American Criminal Liberties Union is looking into the use of brain scans by the US on terrorists.The American Civil Liberties Union is seeking information about alleged brain-scanning usage on suspected terrorists. The ACLU...
Green Energy
Government Goes to Cookies
I don't know. I'm not happy about this, in conjunction with WhiteHouse.snitch but frankly I thought they already used tracking cookies. Most every other place does.
from the ACLU (h/t In Mary's Image)
Government Proposes Massive Shift In Online Privacy Policy
(8/10/2009)
Changes Would Pose Serious Threat To Americans’ Personal Information, Says ACLU
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union submitted comments today to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) opposing its recent proposal to reverse current federal policy and allow the use of web tracking technologies, like cookies, on federal government websites. Cookies can be used to track an Internet user’s every click and are often linked across multiple websites; they frequently identify particular people.
Since 2000, it has been the policy of the federal government not to use such technology. But the OMB is now seeking to change that policy and is considering the use of cookies for tracking web visitors across multiple sessions and storing their unique preferences and surfing habits. Though this is a major shift in policy, the announcement of this program consists of only a single page from the federal register that contains almost no detail.
“This is a sea change in government privacy policy,” said Michael Macleod-Ball, Acting Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “Without explaining this reversal of policy, the OMB is seeking to allow the mass collection of personal information of every user of a federal government website. Until the OMB answers the multitude of questions surrounding this policy shift, we will continue to raise our strenuous objections.”
The use of cookies allows a website to differentiate between users and build a database of each user’s viewing habits and the information they share with the site. Since web surfers frequently share information like their name or email address (if they’ve signed up for a service) or search request terms, the use of cookies frequently allows a user’s identity and web surfing habits to be linked. In addition, websites can allow third parties, such as advertisers, to also place cookies on a user’s computer.
“Americans rely on the information from the federal government to research politics, medical issues and legal requirements. The OMB is now asking to retain the personal and identifiable information we leave behind,” said Christopher Calabrese, Counsel for the ACLU Technology and Liberty Project. “No American should have to sacrifice privacy or risk surveillance in order to access free government information. No policy change should be adopted without wide ranging debate including information on the restrictions and uses of cookies as well as impact on privacy.”
- The Information You Submit To The Government Via Obamacare Will Be Placed In The Hands Of Law Enforcement
THE HEALTCARE BONE'S CONNECTED TO THE LAW BONE IS THIS NOT THE DEFINITION OF TOTALITARIANISM? From the Weekly Standard: Maryland's Health Connection, the state's Obamacare marketplace, has been plagued by delays in the first days of...
- And The National Security Interest Here Is. . .?
Chicago Tribune: DEA using vast AT&T database: New York Times report (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement officials investigating drug crimes have had access, using subpoenas, to a large AT&T Inc database that contains the records of phone calls...
- On Privacy: Tips On Trying To Stay Anonymous On The Internet
Instead of Google search directly, use https://startpage.com They use Google search but they place themselves as the middle-man. You send whatever you want to search for to startpage, they send your request to Google as though it was from them. Then...
-
StartingPage performs Google web searches with privacy Long live StartingPage.Every time you use a regular search engine, your search data is recorded. Major search engines capture your IP address and use tracking cookies to make a record of your search...
- Storm Track Appeasement: Aclu Joins The Aluminum Foil Hat Brigade
From The Gathering Storm The American Criminal Liberties Union is looking into the use of brain scans by the US on terrorists.The American Civil Liberties Union is seeking information about alleged brain-scanning usage on suspected terrorists. The ACLU...