Comments | ljspeaks: More Info on Privacy Concerns?

pure_doxyk in ljspeaks

More Info on Privacy Concerns?

Mar 20, 2008 11:04

Hi all,

I've been trying to find information on LJ's *current* practices regarding tracking the information of its users (an other privacy-related issues) and I'm having some trouble finding anything but rumors. I know I've heard that LJ is now gathering private information on its users regarding where they surf, for instance, but I can't seem to ( Read more... )

unverified

Comments 8

ext_74249 March 20 2008, 19:09:52 UTC

Well I think you'll have trouble finding any hard evidence on things like that. Unfortunately. :(

foxfirefey March 20 2008, 20:04:44 UTC

Oh man, I'm a bit busy now, but I suggest looking at past posts in lj_biz that detail what stats they are using. Those stat things have a console level opt out.

Sponsored communities did get to have Google Analytics on their page.

Currently the Russian users get to see who's been visiting their journal, I am led to understand. Don't know much about the development or opt outty status of it.

re: the last part chasethestars March 21 2008, 17:55:12 UTC

There's an opt-out (to keep your username from showing up someone's visited list.)

boredinsomniac March 22 2008, 01:35:29 UTC

There's info on what stats LJ gathers and how they use it , although it's pretty old.

ex_uniquewo March 23 2008, 00:24:19 UTC

Newer info: http://community.livejournal.com/lj_biz/242602.html

:)

Thread 5

alysonl March 20 2008, 23:43:44 UTC

These two posts have links to other posts that seem to establish a trail of authenticity:
http://lord-dingsi.livejournal.com/39327.html
http://mercurychaos.insanejournal.com/313049.html

boredinsomniac March 22 2008, 01:17:40 UTC

Those entries seem to be talking about LJ sending information "to an ad-targeting server." They then give examples of what could be done with this information, but don't suggest or support the idea that LJ is known to be doing those things.

They seem to be missing a key point, though: It looks like the ad-targetting server is LJ's server, and LJ's ad targetting is done in-house. Whatever information is used for ad targetting, it is used by LJ for ad targetting. They're not sending it to advertisers. They probably have the advertisers tell them what kind of people they'd like to see which ads, so LJ can then use the info it has to target ads without sending info to advertisers ( ... )