Is Your Browser a Gossip?

mcleodnine writes "Wired news pointed me to this article about a report (pdf) recently released by the Privacy Foundation on 'chatty' browser extensions. They examined how much information several different free extensions will send to the mother ship. The report also makes some interesting points about the 'flexible' privacy policies of the companies who 'give away' the extensions. Did you get what you paid for or more than you bargained for?"

Re:"Everything free comes at a price"

[Felinoid]

>>They need information about you.
>Do they...?

No.. they can just believe what Microsoft tells them... that we all use Windows and MSIE and like it...
Linux users is a myth..
There are no browsers other than Netscape and MsIE..

On one hand it's annoying that they are gathering such information...
On the other hand it's annoying that other companys... instead of gathering the data.. just assume...

Sorry, no....

[Psi-kick Guy]

They need information about you. they always have. they always will.

Sorry, but the only person who _NEEDS_ information about me is my wife...

A company does not _NEED_ any information about you besides what's necessary to bill you for services you request... they might really like to have it (because they think they can use it to make money), but there is never any need.

Re:"Everything free comes at a price"

[Black Parrot]

I disagree. IMO, they should never collect information about you without your explicit permission.

--

Re:"Everything free comes at a price"

[mindstrm]

The concept that a business 'needs' this information is, frankly, bullshit.

Can such demographics help them sell more product, make them more profitable? Certainly. But understand that it is not a RIGHT. There is not a law compelling us to give companies whatever they want simply so they can make more money. NObody has an inalienable right to make money off society; you can make money off of situations, yes, as you wish.. but there is no law saying those situations have to prepetuate.

Re:"Everything free comes at a price"

[LoonXTall]

They need information about you.

Do they...?

What is required for business? Each party requires the mailto: address of the other, an agreed medium of exchange (sheep, gold, paper with somebody's portrait on it, or anything else), and an agreed value of the good/service being sold in terms of the medium of exchange (4 sheep, 1 oz. gold, $250, or three furballs).

This leads to an interesting conclusion: I need not even be human to do business with you. I could be a Furby-class device linked to the net...

-- LoonXTall
/* Sautee STRING briskly. */

"Everything free comes at a price"

[MasterOfDisaster]

I'm out screaming "they're watching us, they're watching us". but think about this from the company's point of view..They need information about you. they always have. they always will. such things can be done with a poll, but they cost money, and can be easly manipulated. Now, they can get the same types of information a) without you knowing and b) without doing much more then hireing a couple geeks to put up a website and make a little browser "extention">

Now, I'd rather they didnt do it this way (invasion of privicy, i'm a parinoied freak, etc) but I must admit, it's less anoying, and in some ways can be partaly benifitial (think targeted advertizeing) to the "normal user"

Sadly, the internet was started to share information, but has become little more then a new way to get shafted