The Facebook Beacon controversy may not be making headlines any more, but the privacy concerns it raised still linger. According to this post about MyDataIsMyData, an upcoming privacy-monitoring service sponsored by classifieds site Flugpo, Beacon may still monitor traffic and personal data, even if a user has opted-out of the system. In response, MyDataIsMyData is creating a plugin for Internet Explorer that enables users to eliminate any traces of Beacon from their system.
Facebook Beacon tracks usage information by monitoring cookies on a client’s computer. As users browse various participating websites, such as Blockbuster and eBay, their activities are relayed back to Facebook, where it can be shared with friends. Many users find such notifications to be intrusive, and much of the original controversy stemmed from the automatic inclusion of all users in the system.
The MyDataIsMyData plug-in notifies users via their browser toolbar when Facebook or one of Beacon’s participating affiliates creates or accesses these cookies. The plug-in can automatically delete these cookies at regular intervals, and also allows for users to individually select which (if any) sites will still function with Beacon. Finally, the toolbar will feature a constantly-updated list of sites that participate in Beacon, allowing users to boycott them, should they choose to do so. MyDataIsMyData will soon be available for Internet Exporer, and plans to expand to offer functionality for both Firefox and Macintosh-based browsers.
It should be noted that while the plugin offers some value in terms of a sense of security, it is fairly easy to monitor cookies with a number of extensions using the Firefox browser. Furthermore, by installing the free toolbar, the users will be placing their trust in MyDataIsMyData—the same type of users who presumably would be put off by installing any sort of monitoring software on their computers.
I will create an app to disable this one… all your data is mine.
Funny…
hmmmm….
Should I give all my personal data to Facebook…or the Google…?
Hmmm….
How people can make sure that these upcoming privacy-monitoring service will keep all record private and secured?
I think this plug-in is a great idea. I feel that it offers more protection than you would have just by adjusting your cookies setting (especially for IE users, which is what I use). I also like the idea that it tells you which sites participate with Beacon.
You raise a good point about whether or not one should put their trust in MyDataIsMyData. However, the fact that Flugpo sponsored the plug-in makes it trustworthy to me. Yes, I am a member of Flugpo. While being a member does not make me an authority on Flugpo, I can say that they have earned my trust simply by the way they run their site. It has been made clear to me time and time again that they put their members’ safety and privacy first.
cool
MyDataIsMyData—the same type of users who presumably would be put off by installing any sort of monitoring software on their computers.
What they need is a plugin that instead of sending all of your personal data to the spycoms and echelons instead sends a glitch-inducing hack that literally burns down all systems that employ spycookies until the internet is rid of all the bloatware both spycoms and “newbies” that use the internet as a replacement for television and then imagine that it goes back to people who actually do not care if they are entertained or not and use tools as tools and tv’s for tv’s and the hopping mad virus that the internet has become suddenly becomes vaporware. So doubleflips to all the hypocrites both reading this and not.
I am a member of Flugpo. While being a member does not make me an authority on Flugpo.Thank you.