Camy Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Yahoo is Tracking Group Members If you belong to ANY Yahoo Groups - be aware that Yahoo is now using "Web Beacons" to track every Yahoo Group user. It's similar to cookies, but allows Yahoo to record every website and every group you visit, even when you're not connected to Yahoo. Look at their updated privacy statement at http://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/details.html (You may have to cut and paste the address into your browser.) About half-way down the page, in the section on *cookies*, you will see a link that says *WEB BEACONS*. Click on the phrase "Web Beacons." On the page that opens, on the left find a box entitled "Opt-Out." In that section find "opt-out of interest-matched advertising" link that will let you "opt-out" of their snooping. Click it and then click the opt-out button on the next page. Note that Yahoo's invasion of your privacy - and your ability to opt-out of it - is not user-specific. It is MACHINE specific. That means you will have to opt-out on every computer and on every browser you use. I found this elsewhere and opted out. Link to comment
DesDownunder Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Thanks Camy, I consider this important enough to have pinned the topic. Link to comment
Rad Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Much thanks for the info. I'm opting out Link to comment
colinian Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 I opted out. Colin Link to comment
TalonRider Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 I opted out also. I won't download their tool bar anymore. The last time I did, my virus scan detected 28 pups,(potentially unwanted programs). I got rid of the tool bar and that took care of them. Link to comment
E.J. Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Note that Yahoo's invasion of your privacy - and your ability toopt-out of it - is not user-specific. It is MACHINE specific. That means you will have to opt-out on every computer and on every browser you use. This means that they are using cookies to determine if the machine has "opted out". Any time you delete cookies you will need to go back and opt out again....unless you protect the cookie. Link to comment
TracyMN Posted July 17, 2010 Report Share Posted July 17, 2010 Thanks Camy, I was just telling someone last night about the moment I realized that topics I had typed into email were appearing in the ads on the right side of the page. And I figure any time they provide an opt-out (albeit, well hidden) it's because they are required to, and I have to wonder whose idea of protection this is?? I don't have enough info to be sure, but I might have to have more respect for someone who just admits they could care less about me or what I want or what is in my best interest than the motives behind this dog and pony show. Tracy Link to comment
TracyMN Posted July 17, 2010 Report Share Posted July 17, 2010 Thanks EJ, that one would have got me. Tracy Link to comment
colinian Posted July 17, 2010 Report Share Posted July 17, 2010 I opted out.Colin Should I frighten everyone? I saw there was a new post on this forum and decided to verify that I was opted-out. Wrong. My Yahoo Opt-Out setting in IE8 and in Chrome were both reset to opted-in. I did the Opt-Out thing in both browsers (those two browsers are the only ones I use for Yahoo). But if Yahoo resets these values it means we have to recheck periodically. The question remains, why are the settings being reset by Yahoo? Is it because minor browser updates "look" different to Yahoo? Whatever, this basically sucks. BTW, Yahoo doesn't need to use cookies; they can use the machine ID to identify each computer. This is often the MAC address of the network adapter or router, but can be a generated ID specific to an application program (i.e. Adobe) or website (i.e. Yahoo). Identifying a browser is more complicated, and less precise. Colin Link to comment
The Pecman Posted July 17, 2010 Report Share Posted July 17, 2010 It's all done anonymously, just to feed you "appropriate" ads. A ton of websites do this. I know that doesn't make it right, but it's a way of life on the web. In a way, I'd prefer to be forced to see ads for stuff I like, rather than being forced to see ads for random stuff I don't care about. But Yahoo is no worse than a thousand companies out there. I know some dislike Amazon for similar reasons. Link to comment
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