Internet Privacy: fact, or fiction?

You may think that by manually going into your internet browser such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer or Apple's Safari and setting your privacy settings will regulate what various sites are able to collect from you, or do you?

Microsoft's Internet Explorer uses a protocol called P3P, adopted in 2002, and developed five years ago to allow the user to control the cookies allowed on their browsing habits.  Where other browsers allow users to either "accept" or "do not accept" cookies, P3P allows the user to dictate cookies by low, medium, medium-high, and high. These terms are incredibly vague, and leave both users and and Web developers frustrated.

It seems as though even if you think you're being safe in your internet adventures, you probably aren't. Google isn't the only company who seems to be bypassing these internet cookie settings. Popular sites like Amazon, AOL, GoDaddy, Hulu, IMDB, and even the most popular social networking site, Facebook aren't compliant with Microsoft's P3P.

The biggest argument Facebook and Google are opening voicing against P3P is that the protocol is outdated for current internet users.  Facebook argues that P3P is not effective for the current social networking services that weren't what they are today five years ago when it was put into act.

Moral of the story....Never doubt the ability of a Web powerhouse like Google to by sneaky and still get information from you, whether you want them to have it or not.

"Helllllo web personalization!"


Ashley

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/21/technology/google_microsoft_ie_privacy/