Informative story about 'hidden cookies'

16 years ago

The Wall Street Journal just published an extensive series on the tracking cookies that are implanted on our computers. These aren't just the simple cookies that we get when we visit a web site. These are 'hidden' cookies and in most cases even the web site is unaware that these are being transmitted. They specifically mentioned Dictionary.com. Over 200 cookies were installed and only 11 of them were from Dictionary.com itself.

The article went on to explain how companies are selling this data and keeping files on individuals - not by name but with a tracking number.

There is a growing concern about how technology has enabled this type of tracking and even the FTC is interested. The link below is to yesterday's radio program on NPR with Terry Gross. I'm not an alarmist but I found it fascinating and thought some of you might be interested.

Maire

Here is a link that might be useful: here's a link

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Comments (13)

vala55
16 years ago
I have a software call Ccleaner = crapcleaner. It gets rid of the cookies. You can go into options and save the Garden web cookies or any other forum cookies you visit and shouldn't have to log in after you do this. It has a registry cleaner on it, but it is recommended to never touch it. You can really mess up your computer if you mess with the registry.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ccleaner
organic_bama_mama
16 years ago
Thanks, Maire cate! I use Dictionary.com quite a bit, so it sounds like I'll need to find a new go-to site for word definitions!

I looked up the article at wallstreetjournal.com and it said that these are 15 companies that were found to be the most active in placing tracking technology into computers of the people who visit their websites: "Dictionary.com, MSN.com, Comcast.net, AOL.com, Merriam-Webster.com, Photobucket.com, Answers.com, Careerbuilder.com, MSNBC.com, Live.com, MySpace.com, Yahoo.com, Verizonwireless.com, YP.com and About.com."

Whenever you visit a website like that, they'll place dozens of tracking tools into your computer, and most of those are from outside entities.

Thanks again, MC! What an eye-opener!
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maire_cate
Original Author
16 years ago
Vala - I'll have to check into Ccleaner. The one and only time I tried to eradicate some cookies I really made a mess and had to log into everything for a while. That was a while ago and I'm sure it;s something I need to do again. I just need to be more careful. Thanks for the link.
vala55
16 years ago
I Maire, I don't pay much attention to CC anymore, other than use it. I use Firefox for a browser and it "remembers" the pass words for me". I love that browser, especially the no ads part, I can even block the pictures at the top, the page loads much faster.
vala55
16 years ago
I just went to photo bucket to see how many cookies I picked up and only found 2 PB and 2 Firefox. If there are more cookies they certainly are hidden. I kind of doubt it, wouldn't a cookie cleaner get rid of them. I guess I need to read the article.

This was taken at Victoria Falls.
renee_b
16 years ago
I use Ccleaner too. One of the things that it cleans is the index.dat files. This one was new to me and with much reading up on it, I didn't know that even though you clean the history, cookies, etc., your computer still has this hidden index.dat file which stores every site you ever visited and any emails sent and read through Outlook. For this hidden file to be deleted you have to reboot after using Ccleaner. You can read up on it from the link provided.

Here is a link that might be useful: hidden index.dat files
vala55
16 years ago
Thank you renee. I read in the PC help forum and I have read that cookies aren't anything to worry about, they just report the places you have been. They should still be cleaned. I will clean mine before I turn off the PC for the night.
jel48
16 years ago
My Firefox browser has an option, on the Tools dropdown menu... Select Options, and then the Privacy tab. You can select to accept (or not accept) cookies from sites, and to accept (or not accept) third party cookies.

Third party cookies is what the original article described as being a real problem when visiting dictionary.com.

Firefox even lets you set exceptions. After telling it that I wanted to accept cookies but not third party cookies, I clicked on the [set exceptions] button and told it not to accept any cookies from dictionary.com.

Pretty flexible.

I also believe my Norton Internet Protection software monitors cookies.
Lindsey_CA
16 years ago
Internet Explorer also allows the option to not accept third-party cookies.
sjerin
16 years ago
vala55--can you tell me how to do away with the ads? I had done that on our old computer but have forgotten just what I did.

Jel48--On my ff dropdown I do not see "options" under "tools." Any idea where else it might be??
vala55
16 years ago
I have FireFox and it has ad ons. One of them is Adplus. You download and install it, then add Rick's easy list. that stops 95% of the ads. When I see an ad, I right click on it and at the bottom of the menu that comes up is something about blocking the ad. I click on it and a screen comes up about adding a filter, I click on that. I even block all of the photos/clip art on this site with it. If you decide to get Firefox and the ad on, go to the computer help forum on the main page and they can help with more details. I have had it so long I have forgotten some of the steps. You can Google for rick's list and install it. If I remember right it goes automatically to where it is suppose to.

I recommend Firefox to everyone, it is just great.
vala55
16 years ago
jel I recently reformatted my PC and I forgot to uncheck the their party cookies. Thank you for mentioning it. I had a little problem finding it. I had to click on "custom" to get it to come up.
maire_cate
Original Author
16 years ago
We use Firefox too but I wasn't aware of Adplus and Rick's list. I'll have to look into them too.
Thanks

Informative story about 'hidden cookies'

Comments (13)

vala55

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Informative story about 'hidden cookies'

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