tracking

Twitter has unveiled a brand new 'Do Not Track' option that will stop the service from collecting data related to the online behavior of its users. It's a welcome change for privacy advocates. Meanwhile, the move is prompting privacy experts to ... begin asking questions, such as how long Twitter has been tracking user behavior, and what kind of information it collected. In response, Twitter representatives are deflecting such questions with a surprising argument: that tracking user behavior actually makes the service more user-friendly. Said one Twitter spokesperson about the new 'Do Not Track' ... (view more)

Microsoft is being sued over claims that it collects data about users of Windows Phone 7 handsets. The law suit says such collection happens even when the user has switched off the tracking tool. Rebecca Cousineau has filed the suit in Seattle, ... Microsoft's home city, and is seeking class action status. If granted, which is by no means guaranteed, any other Windows Phone 7 users in the same position could join the case and automatically receive damages if the case is won. Four Tracking Numbers to Identify Phone, User According to the lawsuit, analysis of the data sent by a Samsung Omnia 7, ... (view more)

Both Republican and Democratic politicians are questioning major tech companies about location data tracking features on mobile devices, such as cell phones. Five Republican congressmen who hold key positions on the House of Representatives Energy ... and Commerce committee have recently written joint letters to six companies: Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Microsoft, Nokia and Research in Motion (RIM). User Awareness Comes Into Question The letters demand information about the location data tracking features on the devices that the companies either manufacture or supply with an operating ... (view more)

The next edition of Internet Explorer is said to include a new tool for users to restrict how their information is shared with websites. But it will likely mean that some web features and content will be unavailable to users if the special privacy ... feature is enabled. FTC Calls for "Do Not Track" Feature in Web Browsers Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) called on web browser producers and website owners to make it easier for users to avoid having their online activity shared with other web sites. For example, a site might share what a user reads with an advertising agency ... (view more)

The United States government is in court fighting for the right to track people's location via their cellphone, without warrant. It says the powers are needed to hunt down criminals, but civil rights activists say that tracking shouldn't be allowed ... without ."probable cause." Cellphone Tracking Uses Triangulation The case doesn't involve monitoring conversations or reading text messages, but rather using call records to track a user to within 150 feet. That's usually done by triangulation, which involves finding a cellphone's distance from the three nearest network towers. Cellphone ... (view more)

U.S. residents living in a state bordering Canada or Mexico may reportedly be given a remotely readable driver's license designed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify U.S. citizens as they approach the nation's borders as a way ... to save time and simplify border crossings. The DHS was created after the attacks of 9/11/01 . Residents may want to think twice before signing up for the department's new program. The licenses come equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that are readable through wallets, pockets or purses from as far away as 30 feet. Tiny ... (view more)

Abstract This article is a continuation of last week's issue of the Infopackets Gazette. This article presents an overview of current privacy issues, discusses potential methods in which an individual's privacy may be jeopardized, and examines ... specific countermeasures that can be used to protect private information. Information Technology Abuse -- Privacy Issues (Part 1 of 2) -- Third Layer: Firewalls, Web Filters, and Tracking Detection Firewalls: Any computer system that accesses the Internet should be equipped with a firewall to enable the user to detect and prevent unauthorized access to ... (view more)