<nettime> Fw: POLICY POST 6.03: How to Reject DoubleClick's Double-Cross

["Webmaster - ART TOPOS" <webmaster@artopos.org>]

Dear friends,

Have a look at this...
In Europe this kind of activity is illegal....

Regards

Dimitris Skoufis
ART TOPOS


----- Original Message -----
From: "CDT" <info@cdt.org>
To: <policy-posts@cdt.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 7:37 PM
Subject: POLICY POST 6.03: How to Reject DoubleClick's Double-Cross


> CDT POLICY POST Volume 6, Number 3 February 1, 2000
>
> A BRIEFING ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES AFFECTING CIVIL LIBERTIES ONLINE
> from
> THE CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY AND TECHNOLOGY
>
> CONTENTS:
> (1)  CDT Empowers Consumers to Reject DoubleClick's Double-Cross
> (2)  How DoubleClick's Tracking System Works
> (3)  Policy Post Administration
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
>
> (1) CDT EMPOWERS CONSUMERS TO REJECT DOUBLECLICK'S DOUBLE-CROSS
>
> DoubleClick, a company that uses "cookies" planted on the computers of
many
> Internet users to customize online advertisements, has begun to link up
> online surfing habits and purchases with offline names, addresses and
other
> identifying information, putting in place the last piece of a
comprehensive
> Internet tracking system and threatening to deprive consumers of control
> over their identity online. DoubleClick's network includes such large Web
> sites as Altavista, the New York Times and Sesame Street.
>
> But Internet users who care about their privacy can take action against
the
> DoubleClick double-cross, reassert control over their data, and in the
> process send a message through the marketplace that anti-privacy business
> practices don't pay.
>
> As a follow-on to "Operation Opt-Out," CDT has created a new Web site
where
> users can opt-out of the DoubleClick cookie system and tell DoubleClick's
> partners "I Will Not Be Targeted."
>
> The special site is at http://www.cdt.org/action/doubleclick.shtml. There
> you can:
>
> 1)   Opt-out of DoubleClick's profiling activities -  Opt-out is not the
> complete answer to online privacy woes.  But with a single click, you can
> render DoubleClick's cookies meaningless on your computer.
>
> 2)  Send a message to DoubleClick's member Web sites.  We don't know which
> ten sites are disclosing subscriber identities to DoubleClick - when we
> find out we'll tell you - so for now you can use our site to spread the
> message to all major DoubleClick partners that your identity isn't to be
> sold or traded away to DoubleClick.
>
> 3)   Send a message to DoubleClick's CEO that you want to decide what Web
> sites know your identity.  We have created a simple online template that
> generates an email to DoubleClick CEO Kevin O'Connor.
>
> If you care about your privacy and want to surf the Web without your every
> move being recorded in a giant database and connected to your name, it's
> time to just say no to DoubleClick's profiling.   And tell the companies
> that work with DoubleClick that your identity isn't for sale.
> ______________________________________________________________________
>
> (2) HOW DOUBLECLICK'S TRACKING SYSTEM WORKS
>
> When a user visits one of thousands of popular Web sites in the
DoubleClick
> system, DoubleClick plants a "cookie" (an id number of sorts) on the
user's
> computer.  Most users don't even know that the cookie is in operation.
The
> cookie allows the DoubleClick network to recognize that computer when it
> visits the same site again or another site, allowing, for example, online
> publishers and advertisers to customize content and advertisements based
on
> a user's prior visits.
>
> DoubleClick uses "cookies" to collect information about how individuals
use
> the Web -- the sites they visit, the search terms they use and other
> queries they make, their online purchases, their "click through" responses
> to advertisements.  In addition to compiling long lists of visited sites
> and pages, a user profile may contain "inferential" or "psychographic"
data
> - information that the company infers about users based on their surfing
> habits.
>
> DoubleClick has repeatedly stated that its cookies identified computers,
> not people - that it couldn't link its "cookies" to names and home
> addresses or other elements of personal identity and didn't want to do so.
>
> Now, DoubleClick acknowledges that it has begun to tie surfing habits and
> online searches to personal identity.  DoubleClick has quietly entered
into
> an arrangement to collect names, addresses, and other personal information
> from Web sites where Internet users knowingly register. So far, at least
> ten Web sites (the Company hasn't said who they are) are participating by
> providing DoubleClick the identity of their subscribers. Thus,
DoubleClick,
> to whom you have never revealed your identity, may have access to your
> name, credit card number, and home address.
>
> When a site discloses your identity to DoubleClick, the final piece of a
> massive tracking system falls into place. DoubleClick can link your cookie
> to your name whenever you visit any of the 1,500 Web sites in the
> DoubleClick network, which includes such prominent online companies as CBS
> Sportsline, Travelocity, drkoop.com, Mindspring, TheStreet.com, NBC and
the
> Wall Street Journal.  From then on, as you surf the Web, DoubleClick knows
> who you are, and can track your online habits, purchases and even search
> terms.
>
> Moreover, DoubleClick can tie information about your use of the Web to
> information about your offline habits -- gathered by DoubleClick's
recently
> acquired catalog purchasing database company, Abacus.
>
> For more background:
>
> The story by Will Rodger in USAToday that first revealed the DoubleClick
> practice:
> http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cth211.htm
>
> CDT's testimony on online profiling and advertising companies, including
> DoubleClick:
> http://www.cdt.org/testimony/ftc/mulliganFTC.11.30.99.shtml
> ______________________________________________________________________
>
> (3) POLICY POST ADMINISTRATION
>
> To subscribe to CDT's Policy Post list, send mail to majordomo@cdt.org In
> the BODY of the message type "subscribe policy-posts" without the quotes.
>
> To unsubscribe from CDT's Policy Post list, send mail to majordomo@cdt.org
> In the BODY of the message type "unsubscribe policy-posts" without
> the quotes.
>
> Detailed information about online civil liberties issues may be found at
> http://www.cdt.org/.
>
> This document may be redistributed freely in full or linked to
> http://www.cdt.org/publications/pp_6.03.shtml. Excerpts may be re-posted
> with prior
> permission of ari@cdt.org
>
> Policy Post 6.3 Copyright 2000 Center for Democracy and Technology
>
>
>
>

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