privacy

In a move that will surely please many privacy campaigners, Google has changed its cookie policy dramatically. How so? Instead of having cookies expire in the year 2038, they will expire two years after the page has last been viewed. (Source: ... betanews.com ) The announcement comes shortly after the search engine giant revealed that it will erase search logs after 18 months, a reduction from the previously uncapped time limit. The cookie reduction announcement came via an official Google blog entitled "Cookies: Expiring Sooner to Improve Privacy." In the post, Global Privacy Counsel Peter ... (view more)

The European Union's head justice official has applauded Google on its decision to reduce the amount of time it keeps the personal data of Internet users. "I think it is indeed a good step," said EU justice and home affairs commissioner Franco ... Frattini at a news conference in Luxembourg. His comment was in response to Google's decision to only keep the data for 18 months, a modest improvement from Google's original plan to keep the data for 18 to 24 months. (Source: mercurynews.com ) "I have appreciated the commitment of Google not only to meet our expectations in terms of protection of ... (view more)

Privacy Shield For Outlook Privacy Shield is an add-on that password protects access to Outlook's main interface. It also stretches the Privacy Dialog, can be activated on startup, has a memo pad, and can hide Outlook. ... http://e-gadgets.freehostia.com/addins.htm#shield Perma Tabs Perma Tabs is a Firefox add-on that turns tabs of your choice into permanent tabs ("permaTabs"). PermaTabs can't be closed accidentally (even when closing multiple tabs at once), and will stick around between sessions. Useful for keeping URLs you use often, always one tab away. Also, useful for picking up articles ... (view more)

Now that the holiday season is rapidly approaching, it's a good time for some quick reminders about safely purchasing items online. Armed with the proper knowledge and a little common sense, purchasing things online can be as safe as going to the ... store and purchasing it in person. It's getting easier to purchase items online from reputable companies. However, there are also several "companies" that want to steal your personal and financial information. Listed below are some suggestions for making your online shopping experience more enjoyable. Contact Information Is the sellers address and ... (view more)

Portable Virtual Privacy Machine Carry your entire Internet communication system on a tiny USB drive. Contains a complete virtual Linux machine with privacy-enabled Open Source Internet applications. Carry your Internet applications, email, ... bookmarks, history, web cookies, download files in your pocket. Perfect for travelers -- nothing to be scanned, started, poked, or prodded at the airport. Get English keyboard support no matter what computer you use. No installation needed - just plug the drive into any Windows or Linux computer, and click on the Virtual Privacy Machine icon and you're ... (view more)

Synopsis: Scared that your boss might see which web sites you've been visiting? Terrified that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might profile you for downloading music or videos from illicit file-sharing services? Need a way to surf the web ... anonymously -- all the while protecting yourself against identify theft, hackers, and Spyware? Then stop worrying and download GhostSurf Platinum, today! GhostSurf Platinum ensures your safety online by providing an anonymous, encrypted Internet connection, while other bundled goodies (such as SpyCatcher and TracksCleaner) prevent Spyware from ... (view more)

Portable Virtual Privacy Machine Carry your entire Internet communication system on a tiny USB drive. Contains a complete virtual Linux machine with privacy-enabled Open Source Internet applications. Carry your Internet applications, email, ... bookmarks, history, web cookies, download files in your pocket. Perfect for travellers - nothing to be scanned, started, poked, or prodded at the airport. Get English keyboard support no matter what computer you use. No installation needed - just plug the drive into any Windows or Linux computer, and click on the Virtual Privacy Machine icon and you're ... (view more)

Several "clean up" programs on the market today are designed to eliminate Spyware* and other tracking devices after a computer has already become infected. GhostSurf Pro, on the other hand, prevents Spyware from infecting a PC (before it can ever ... take place) and provides a wide array of security features which allows users to surf the world wide web with varying degrees of anonymity. Side Note: Spyware is software which records information about you or your computer usage (without your knowledge) and then relays this information to a third party -- quite often, for marketing ... (view more)

Abstract Due to the length of this article, it has been sectioned into two parts. 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. The focus of this paper is primarily the privacy of individuals using personal computers in a home environment and on the Internet. All software applications referenced herein have been tested by this writer on the Windows 98 Second Edition operating system. Other operating systems may ... (view more)