ACLU advocates for a "Do not track" list meanwhile they are using tracking sites on their own site.

[Shagbark Hickory]

This article posted by an ACLU blogger http://www.aclu.org/blog/technology-and-liberty/spying-surfing-why-we-need-do-not-track-list "> "Spying On Surfing: Why We Need a "Do Not Track" List", makes the case for a national opt out for online tracking sites that track your movements across the web.

The article describes how "private companies are tracking all our movements online, selling that information to other companies who in turn share it with law enforcement and the government," and that "as this practice spreads, the chilling effect on our First and Fourth Amendment rights will be immense."

Meh. OK. What gets me is that the very site I'm reading this on, is using two notorious tracking sites, omniture and netInsight which are doing the very things that the article talks about.

What the article makes no mention of is that you can opt out of those tracking sites with a simple browser plugin. A national opt-out list seems like a pretty unrealistic goal considering the very organization pressing for that seems to want to participate in the systematic tracking of our movements online.

[bbinacan]

1. Figures. n/t

[arcane1]

2. Two questions and a point:

- how can you tell they are using the tracking sites? I don't doubt you, but I would like more info before I share this with anyone.

- do you know offhand how one can obtain this plugin to opt us out?

- The ACLU's perspective once again makes me think: it seems it would be more efficient, etc, to have an opt-in, rather than a huge list of those who opt-out. I wish that way of thinking were more prevalent, that sites would need explicit permission to take these actions, or at the very least be required to inform us!

[BadgerKid]

3. 'Ghostery' blocks two tracking URLs.

It is an extension for Firefox, or it comes built-in with Google Chrome.

[arcane1]

4. Thanks!!!

[DCKit]

5. +2

[Shagbark Hickory]

6. I didn't want to seem like I was plugging any particular plugin or browser so I didn't mention any..

I didn't want to seem like I was plugging any particular plugin or browser so I didn't mention any but since you asked, I use the TACO add-on for firefox. You can click on or hover over a button on the browser and it tells you what tracking sites are in use. You have the option to opt of them with one click and it blocks those tracking sites everwhere on the web that you go.

For example, DU is currently using google adsense and google analytics.

Another add-on that I use is firefox cookie manager which I find makes removing cookies pretty easy.

And when I don't want my IP address to be revealed, I use the proxilla add on.


But! You do not necessarily need a plugin to see that tracking scripts or cookies or sites are in use.
You can simply look in the source code of the page.

FOR EXAMPLE...
In the source code of that ACLU page, you will find the following if you look carefully for it..

<!-- BEGIN: NetTracker Page Tag -->
<!-- Copyright 2004 Sane Solutions, LLC. All rights reserved.-->
<script language=JavaScript src="https://www.aclu.org/ntpagetag.js"></script>
<noscript><img height=1 alt="" hspace=0 src="?js=0" width=1 border=0 /></noscript>
<!-- END: NetTracker Page Tag -->

<script language="javascript" src="https://www.aclu.org/s_code.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </div>
</div>



<div class="serendipitySideBarItem container_serendipity_syndication_plugin block block-block-sitecatalyst">
<h3 class="serendipitySideBarTitle">
</h3>
<div class="serendipitySideBarContent">

<!-- SiteCatalyst code version: H.20.3. Copyright 1997-2009 Omniture, Inc. More info available at http://www.omniture.com -->
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="https://www.aclu.org/s_code.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript"><!--
s.products=";posts:Technology and Liberty,;posts:Consumer Privacy,;posts:Internet Privacy";
s.pageName="Issues:Technology and Liberty:blog:January 28 2011:Spying On Surfing: Why We Need a \"Do Not Track\" List";
s.channel="Issues";
s.prop1="Issues:Technology and Liberty";
s.prop2="Issues:Technology and Liberty:blog";
s.prop3="Issues:Technology and Liberty:blog";
s.prop4="blog";
s.prop5="Spying On Surfing: Why We Need a \"Do Not Track\" List";
s.prop6="24661";
s.hier2="Issues|Technology and Liberty|blog";
s.prop12="http://aclu.org";
/************* DO NOT ALTER ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE ! **************/
var s_code=s.t();if(s_code)document.write(s_code)//-->
</script>
<!-- End SiteCatalyst code -->