Recently have read up on tracking, the online collection of a persons web browsing history. Found a site that blocks tracking. Logged on here and low and behold, tracking is taking place here as well.
Was wondering if management had any comment on this practice?
I think it’s like, just the way the internet works.
When I was a kid, it felt like every adult around me said things like, “don’t do that, you’re going to end up on a government list!”
Then one day I realized that only so many people could possibly be looking at those lists, even if they do exist, and that being the case it would be nearly impossible to single me out. I’m a needle in the haystack of information tracked from the internet.
No worries.
Naive? :shrug:
Isn’t everyone to some extent? I mean, if it were the case that being tracked on the internet resulted in real consequences for people who aren’t doing anything wrong, do you think I’d still be here?
Thanks Smears, but I was really more interested if management had a comment.
No problem man.
Tracking doesn’t (always) involve collecting your browsing history. There are ways to do that, but if your browser is up to date I think you’re safe. It is more accurate to say that tracking is a website watching who comes and goes. In that sense, we do track users. We have cookies enabled so that you are automatically logged in when you visit. We also have a couple third-party plug-ins that track users. We have Google analytics installed so that we can (theoretically) look at e.g. the trends in the number of posts per week, the number of unique visitors, the geographic distribution, etc. And if you’re using the version of the site with ads, Amazon probably also tracks you. Both of them likely load other third party trackers via the plug-ins.
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Personally, I have to agree with Smears. In theory, we could probably track you, Mowk, using the information we collect. We could figure out when you come, how long you stay, how many pages you look at, all sorts of boring data on what you do when you come to ILP. But boring data is boring. More interesting data is the data we get about our users collectively. When we use data, we use it to see when is the best time to do site maintenance, or to discover that we should make a Facebook page to try to generate some more traffic. I will opine with confidence that Google, Amazon, and their partners user their data similarly.
Tracking seems menacing because you picture someone following you down the street, because the only reasons someone would follow you down the street are sinister. But it’s more accurate to think of it like a corner store keeping a log of people that come in and what they buy so that it knows what to buy, and what bundled discounts to offer.
I think the argument that one has a right to say how the information generated by visiting a website is used (I don’t know if you’re making this argument, Mowk, but it seems like you might buy into it, and in any case I enjoy criticizing it). When you come to ILP, your computer sends a request for data stored on our server, along with an address to which that data should be sent. Is it really legitimate to say that though ILP provides you this service, it should need your permission to make a note of what data was requested from what address? In what other context does someone need permission from the other party to remember a transaction and draw from that memory whatever conclusions it will?
All innocent enough? I don’t think being “profiled” is a nice thing. Don’t think there is “good mo-jo” that instigates it. It’s intention can be to manipulate and coerce. And I’m sensing a “tone”. LOL And yes I was referring to a particular sort of tracking.
Computers are wonderful calculators. Collect data, run reports.
Smears, you just ain’t worth the effort, no offense… rock on.
Collusion dead ends on googlesyndication.com and amazon as well. Perhaps it was my tone. LOL.
who cares ?
forums have never been a fovourite form to communicate , that’s what most of them on net believe.
oveall , the percentage of users on forums in mere when compared to blogs.
that too , in this philosophy … better not discuss.
In each and every forum , the number of views and number of users getting registered … at last it’s matter of numbers…
faked up.
fake user id’s … fake reply …
one helpful stuff is … few snippets they can bite before they leave the forum .
Thanks Mowk.
I would think in terms of allaying fears, real and imagined, is to accept the fact, that on never knows for sure. The fear itself generates more fear. Reuction to absurd levels.
1984 and brave new world comes to mind, where fear and social justice became alarmingly intertwined.
So you allow Amazon and Google to collect information about people who post on ILP.
Why?
All users of this website ought to be aware that your government is now gathering information about what websites you visit and can also collect information about what you say. Once gathered Internet traffic information can stay potentially forever.
ILP is complicit in that process.
No matter how much you think you are anonymous, a member of the security forces in your country can pinpoint you with your remark in seconds.
You might trust your government now, or the governments of countries you might want to visit. But be aware that a fascist dictatorship is only ever one election away, and your freedom is subject to the whims of authority.
Hobbes nothing has really changed.
I not saying anything has.
Well if you’re gonna say ILP is complicit, I gotta ask why you pick them out of you know…the entire rest of the complicit world?
I pick them out because I am here.
I’m asking Carleas. If he HAS to do it.
What is at stake?
Well, websites cost cash to operate, and time. A lot of people think their time is worth some cash as well. So how do they make this money to allow all this to take place?
Advertising. And if you wanna make advertising money, then you gotta take the deal that makes the money, which is probably gonna be w/ companies like google and amazon. I think all they’re doing is gathering anonymous user data to help them target users with ads they’re more likely to click.
Think about it man. You could use anything for something sinister, but if there’s a possibility for profit, then you can be assured that’s what the businesses are going to do. It would cost them money to cooperate with investigations. They don’t wanna do things that cost em money. People are just like rats in a maze. Put the food where you want them to go. If something sinister happens, it’s just an aside. For the most part, the rats go for the cheese and that’s it.
What I think everyone should do is donate money to the site so that Carleas can maintain it and maybe get a new pair of shoes. If we outdid the advertising deals, then maybe we could get rid of them altogether.
I got $5 on it.
There are other reasons for tracking. Success breeds success. Go to google and type in philosophy websites. Guess who is at the top of the list? Google and other search engines list sites based on activity. The more clicks they receive, the higher you are on the ladder. So tracking has positive results as well. That doesn’t mean that homeland security doesn’t scour the net with it’s key word programs looking for evil doers. But that involves a tiny percentage of the overall net activity.
The only downside to tracking is that there is more info (provided by you) and it can be accessed faster. If the big bad government wanted to know everything about you, it was available before. It just took longer to investigate and assemble a dossier on you. I’ve said it before. If you want privacy, turn off your computer and throw away the smart phone. Sounds easy doesn’t it? But the reality is that all you can do is slow down the gathering of info on you. If they want to know, they’ll get there.
Soooo… what are you doing that’s creating the paranoia? Sexting your girl friend doesn’t count.