On September 14, 2009, Seth Schoen published an article for the Electric Frontier Foundation titled, “New Cookie Technologies: Harder to See and Remove, Widely Used to Track You”. The article begins with a brief description of “cookies” and how they are used to track the Internet tendencies of web users. After educating the reader on the purpose of these tracking devices, Schoen describes how, when they were first created in 1994, cookies were very easy to delete and one’s privacy was not a major concern. Today however, things are much different. Schoen goes on to explain how many sites have implemented cookies that cannot be erased, and are ultimately tracking everything that you access through the Internet. The article is concluded with the summarizing statement “Clearly, there's a lot of work to be done to bring these next-generation cookies even to the same level of visibility and control that users experience with regular HTTP cookies”. This article can be accessed in its entirety at: http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/09/new-cookie-technologies-harder-see-and-remove-wide.
The basis of this article brings up the question that seems to be associated with every new form of consumer tracking technology, “what’s the line between innovative data collection and personal privacy?” From what Ms. Pridmore discussed in class I knew that cookies existed, but I was not aware of flash cookies, which are virtually impossible to delete. Personally I believe that a privacy line is crossed through flash cookies, when one is no longer able to control what information is being given about their Internet use. The creation of a cookie appears to be a very strong innovation in regards to trying to understand the tendencies of a demographic, but with the establishment of a flash cookie (refer to article above) it becomes concerning to me that some operating system knows what type of phone I just ordered online, and I have virtually no control over it. I believe it is safe to say that I am not alone on this stance against the inability to delete flash cookies; throughout my research I even found a blog entitled, “Flash Cookies: The Silent Privacy Killer”. This title does a pretty good job of summarizing the fact that these cookies are now violating one’s privacy without you even knowing about it.
Ranting aside, I realize that there are two sides to every argument, and like most new technology, these flash cookies do serve a positive purpose in regards to technological advancement. Different companies and organizations can now easily distinguish what product and information their target audience is retaining. This is a positive in the sense that certain companies can understand what a user does and does not like, and even in some cases customize their websites to attract the customer. Another positive of flash cookies are simple things such as a company being able to recognize that you have already visited their website, and not making you repeat their intro video every time you visit. Google even uses flash cookies to create relevant adds throughout your Internet search (Google Privacy Center).
Technology is an ever-expanding field and with that comes the creation of anything that provides an advantage to an organization. With that said I wonder where the line is going to be drawn in regards to the use of tracking technology. Many believe that it has already been crossed, and the reality of the situation is that tracking technology is nowhere near its peak. Cookies make sense but the fact that you have no ability to delete flash cookies does not. Does the advancement of technology mean an eventual dissolving of all personal privacy?
This article parallels with Dana's article in that they both deal with privacy. A major concern with technology seems to be its ability to find out whatever it wants about you. The decreasing amount of privacy on the internet today should be corrected. After reading articles like these, I am almost afraid to order anything off the internet because, for all I know, they are following my purchases and maybe even storing my credit card number. The fact that a cookie could remain on my computer is not only a concern for my privacy, but also for my storage space. Prior to having a macbook, I remember having to go through my computer and delete the hundreds of cookies taking up space on my computer. With these flash cookies, we won't even have the ability to delete them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what your saying Alex, with so much personal information being displayed on the internet today through media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, privacy continues to be a growing concern for everyone. Not only with these sites and the fear of internet stalkers, but just as you were saying, with the process of purchasing items online and giving people your credit card information, fear of this information being stolen is a prevalent concern. With Chris in his article announcing the fact that programing is disallowing the ability to delete these "flash cookies" that will store internet data that is processed on a website will truly input hesitance amongst the population in giving out certain information. With personal privacy being such a liability on the internet today I'm curious to see the status of the internet in the next couple of years.
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