Email and Web use privacy (html Beacons)
Today I received a couple of emails about an old issue - your privacy…
Note - my guess is that *every* provider of ‘free services’ (email, email-lists/groups, web sites, etc.) is going to do their best to monetize their ’service’. While free services sure are convenient, nice, nifty, etc - they do have a price - some of *your information*… Keep in mind that *most* commercial web sites will have a terms of use (TOS) and/or privacy policy - you might want to review these for any site/service that you use.
Also, regardless of what any policy or TOS might say, true privacy on any computer network (the Internet, local wireless network, school network, business, government or other network) is simply not possible. If you use online ‘free’ email services you should consider carefully what types of email you send, receive and store with the service - email is absolutely not a private medium…
I previously posted about emails with embedded goodies (graphics, HTML code, etc.) When you accept HTML formatted emails you are essentially approving the practice of tracking users (did they get the email? did they open the email? did they make a purchase after reading the email and visiting the web site? etc.) I prefer text-only emails, partly to avoid too much concern for issues like this - if web beacons concern you then perhaps you should consider not using/accepting HTML messages? 
From the Yahoo web site (see links below):
“One of the most common uses for web beacons is in HTML-formatted messages (they are not used in text-based email, only email that looks like a web page or that includes graphical elements). Beacons are used to count how many messages are opened and how many links are clicked on as a way to measure how useful the email was…”
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Subject: [moderatorcentral] web beacons and groups
Even though Yahoo’s policy hasn’t changed in more than 8 years, the “web beacon issue” comes up periodically (and it appears to be happening again).
This page, which we posted more than a year ago when this issue last flared up, is still the best summary of web beacons and Yahoo! Groups:
http://tinyurl.com/beaconsandgroups
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/members/privacy/privacy-16.html
You can also gets lots of information by reading through the archives of the various groups about Groups.
http://tinyurl.com/groupsaboutgroups
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/ownmod/starting/ideas-01.html
<snip>
Yahoo! Groups
==========
The message below really is very old news but it popped up on the same list prior to the message above…
The following has been making the rounds, and appears to be accurate. Members may wish to follow the opt-out instructions found in the message, lest Yahoo track every website you visit.
<snip>
PLEASE READ…IMPORTANT
Yahoo is Tracking Group Members
If you belong to ANY Yahoo Groups - be aware that Yahoo is now using “Web Beacons” to track every Yahoo Group user. It’s similar to cookies, but allows Yahoo to record every website and every group you visit, even when you’re not connected to Yahoo. Look at their updated privacy statement at http://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/details.html
About half-way down the page, in the section on *cookies*, you will see a link that says *WEB BEACONS*.
Click on the phrase “Web Beacons.” On the page that opens, on the left find a box entitled “Opt-Out.”
In that section find “opt-out of interest-matched advertising” link that will let you “opt-out” of their snooping. Click it and then click the
opt-out button on the next page.
Note that Yahoo’s invasion of your privacy - and your ability to opt-out of it - is not user-specific. It is MACHINE specific. That means you will have to opt-out on every computer (and browser) you use.
Please forward this to your other groups. You might complain, too, but I’m not sure if anyone is listening. I remember when they signed all users up to get spam and we had to opt out of that a few years ago.
Related article:
http://antivirus.about.com/od/spywareandadware/a/yahoobugs.htm
Posted by Dale Reagan on January 5th, 2009 :: Filed under Computer Technology, Internet Search, Media and Communications, Problem Solving, System and Network Security, Web Technologies
Tags :: browser privacy, email, email privacy, Internet privacy, marketing beacons, web beacons, web privacy