many of y'all already understand this

[chordam7]

...but for folks who still labor under the delusion that the internet = anonymity, here's a simple, non-conspiracy example of how many things on the internet work, from a computer-industry trade magazine:

Is It OK that Google Owns Us?
[e-week, free]
Make no mistake, Google owns you. The ways in which it owns you are laid out in a complaint filed

Comments

[zator]

...here's a simple, non-conspiracy example...I dont know how much of non-conspiracy this particular example is. Google is plainly making this information available to it's marketing partner

agreed

[chordam7]

...no use in getting all paranoid because this has always been going on, as you observe.

i only worry sometimes because i know some of my friends don't understand this and don't even take what i consider to be the most basic of precautions.

for instance, i have one of those visa cards you buy in the grocery store and you can just load cash onto it. when i'm doing an internet transaction i have the slightest doubt about, i load money onto that card and i use that.

somebody gets the data or abuses it, there's nothing to take because there is no money on it. at any time, i can just cut it up and buy another one for about $19 in activation charges.

i hear some of the horror stories people tell and it's like, "what were you thinking to even allow yourself to be in that position...?"

...let's be careful out there okay?

[darkphilodox]

But I dont want to;)

Re: ...let's be careful out there okay?

[chordam7]

...then just be aware!

; )

Re: ...let's be careful out there okay?

[kasheesty]

Need Internet Condoms for Safe Trolling ; P

Thanks for the info & reminder,though.

It's not all free porn & Happy Time!!

[redoubtable1]

Web privacy is one of the reasons I use Firefox with the 'NoScript' plug-in. One of the most frequently blocked plug-ins is 'Google Analytics.' Its on almost every page I've visited. In conjunction with 'AdBlock' it really speeds up my browsing.
And as far as all the Google crap goes, if you are worried about them abusing your data, don't use their products. There are plenty of other options, so you can spread your data around to plenty of other folks who could abuse it.
That said, I find it kind of odd to be so very paranoid about privacy, when one posts considerable detail about ones private life for all the world to see.
And I see in looking back over this post it sounds kind of snide, and I don't mean it to be that way but I'll stand by the content.