Strong Online Privacy Bill Introduced 13
Masem writes "Senator John Edwards (NC) is introducing a strong privacy bill to Congress, as reported by CNN. While CNN's details are sketchy, the bill would require commercial web sites to ask permission from the user before a cookie can be set or personal information collected. Needless to say, this is an ideal time to snail-mail your representative or senator and ask them to vote in favor of this bill. Of interest that I cannot locate is if this allows 'grandfather' protection of existing data, or will all commercial sites have to start anew by erasing their databases and recollecting the information."
I can see a loophole that can be exploited heavily (Score:1)
This way, anyone who registers with the site will have given the site permission to set cookies, because the permission was given in registration, and there was a clause placed in the TOS.
Re:Why legislate? (Score:1)
Privacy,1984, and the Super Bowl (Score:1)
Re:different types of cookies? (Score:1)
That's a nice bill, but what we really need... (Score:1)
For now I, like many others, simply keep cookies.txt read-only, but what I really want is the ability to save specific cookies and forget all others. And, naturally, the read-only 'trick' doesn't work with MSIE (I have to use both brands as part of my job and I've come to hate both).
I want a browser that lets me accept the "remember my login" type of cookies and reject the "let me track which pages you've visited/ads you've seen/where you came from/where you're going" cookies (among other things -- mostly I want a browser that lets me configure everything, not just the few things they deign to let us configure).
Will be ineffective against offshore websites (Score:2)
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Re:That's a nice bill, but what we really need... (Score:2)
If you want to be more restrictive you can disable cookies for the internet zone and add sites you want to allow to set cookies into the trusted sites zone. Keep in mind that it is necessary to enable cookie setting on most e-tail sites to keep track of your shopping cart.
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Why legislate? (Score:2)
We just need to be warned that people are using cookies and how they're using the things.
different types of cookies? (Score:2)
Cookies to save login id is not bad. Cookies by doubleclick to track across sites is another story.
But, isn't someone leaving data on your computer and picking them up without authorization a form of computer tresspass? Just because it can be done does not mean it is authorized. Leaving a window open on a house does not mean that a person is allowed to climb through it and take a nap.
won't change anything (Score:2)
Or alternatively, they will move to a different regulatory jurisidiction, say, Anguilla.
Unless the people care about their own privacy and take steps to protect it, there is little the state can do that will matter. The most important thing the people need to do is stop divulging personal information for any purpose.
Re:I can see a loophole that can be exploited heav (Score:2)
The obligatory four questions (Score:2)
Re:different types of cookies? (Score:2)