http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20013672-261.html?tag=topStories1
Story alleges that demand media along with other websites allowed users to be spied on...
I s there any truth to this?
at the least the users need to be aware of this
Gs
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- greasespot
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Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
Sometimes all you can do is look them in the eye and ask " how much did your mom drink when she was pregnant with you?"
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- greasespot
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
A lawsuit filed in federal court last week alleges that a group of well-known Web sites, including those owned by Disney, Warner Bros. Records, and Demand Media, broke the law by secretly tracking the Web movements of their users, including children.
Attorneys representing a group of minors and their parents filed the suit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, records show. The suit alleges that Clearspring Technologies, a software company that creates widgets and also offers a way to serve ads via widgets, is at the center of the wrongdoing.
Sorry just learned how to cut an paste with my iPad. Now you do not have to click on the link to get a synopsis
Gs
Attorneys representing a group of minors and their parents filed the suit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, records show. The suit alleges that Clearspring Technologies, a software company that creates widgets and also offers a way to serve ads via widgets, is at the center of the wrongdoing.
Sorry just learned how to cut an paste with my iPad. Now you do not have to click on the link to get a synopsis
Gs
Sometimes all you can do is look them in the eye and ask " how much did your mom drink when she was pregnant with you?"
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- bhmbaglock
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
Cnet is very reputable and does not often make big mistakes on reporting like this so I would tend to believe them.
Of course, given the recent news on DM's 'profitability", I think the class action specialists will pay a lot more attention to Disney than DM. Of course, this news isn't likely to be helpful with the IPO and lawyers rarely stray from the sue everybody possible plan.
One last thing, just because DM uses this "tool" on some sites, this doesn't mean that it is used on a.net. I am sure that all would appreciate clarification on this point from the Crew though.
Of course, given the recent news on DM's 'profitability", I think the class action specialists will pay a lot more attention to Disney than DM. Of course, this news isn't likely to be helpful with the IPO and lawyers rarely stray from the sue everybody possible plan.
One last thing, just because DM uses this "tool" on some sites, this doesn't mean that it is used on a.net. I am sure that all would appreciate clarification on this point from the Crew though.
Where are all of my respected members going?
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- MD11Engineer
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
It seems that DM has some additional problems:
http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/2243399/index1.html
[/quote] As Demand Media gears up for its initial public offering, anti-spam advocates and online crime fighters say that the company needs to clean up its act.
In a report, released late Tuesday, HostExploit, a volunteer badware-tracking group, found that Demand Media's Internet service provider (ISP) business is hosting an abnormally large number of malicious Web pages, and far too many of the command-and-control servers that are used to send directions to hacked computers.
In fact, HostExploit currently ranks Demand Media as the worst ISP in the world, a ranking that's based on how the ISP is used to distribute spam and malicious software. [/quote]
Any comments?
Jan
| Quote: Demand Media a home to badware, researchers say |
[/quote] As Demand Media gears up for its initial public offering, anti-spam advocates and online crime fighters say that the company needs to clean up its act.
In a report, released late Tuesday, HostExploit, a volunteer badware-tracking group, found that Demand Media's Internet service provider (ISP) business is hosting an abnormally large number of malicious Web pages, and far too many of the command-and-control servers that are used to send directions to hacked computers.
In fact, HostExploit currently ranks Demand Media as the worst ISP in the world, a ranking that's based on how the ISP is used to distribute spam and malicious software. [/quote]
Any comments?
Jan
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- greasespot
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
Guess there is something positive about using sn iPad and no flash...
Gs
Gs
Sometimes all you can do is look them in the eye and ask " how much did your mom drink when she was pregnant with you?"
RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
I can't comment on the way the tracker cookies are working here. But I always noticed that there is an unusual high amount of domains that run scripts on this site:
Apart from airliners.net, googlesyndication.com and google-analytics.com, there are:
dmtracker.com
addthis.com
revsci.net
quantserve.com
scorecardresearch.com
blogburst.com
yieldmanager.com
doubleclick.net
thewheelof.com
And I think I've seen a few more in the past. And NoScript (an add-on for Firefox that I use) informed me several times of cross-site scripting attempts here.
As per my web browsing experience, this is a rather large number of third-party scripts. However, once again, I don't know what these scripts do, so this does not necessarily mean they are malicious.
Assuming they are ad-related, I guess we need to keep in mind that Demand Media is a corporation that at least needs to cover the costs of maintaining this website. I recently read in an article (CNN Money, IIRC, some 2 weeks ago) that DM's business model is still not generating any profits.
Quite obviously, they will want to change that.
Apart from airliners.net, googlesyndication.com and google-analytics.com, there are:
dmtracker.com
addthis.com
revsci.net
quantserve.com
scorecardresearch.com
blogburst.com
yieldmanager.com
doubleclick.net
thewheelof.com
And I think I've seen a few more in the past. And NoScript (an add-on for Firefox that I use) informed me several times of cross-site scripting attempts here.
As per my web browsing experience, this is a rather large number of third-party scripts. However, once again, I don't know what these scripts do, so this does not necessarily mean they are malicious.
Assuming they are ad-related, I guess we need to keep in mind that Demand Media is a corporation that at least needs to cover the costs of maintaining this website. I recently read in an article (CNN Money, IIRC, some 2 weeks ago) that DM's business model is still not generating any profits.
Quite obviously, they will want to change that.
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- greasespot
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
I think the scripts that you find with everyday tools are not the ones the article is talking about. I think there are ones that we cannot see or find that is the issue.
Mind you it is also some of the biggest kids sites such as Disney that is also being accused.
Demand media cannot comment on this here other than the standard defend ourselves and since it is before the court no comment.
I posted this so people can be aware and act accordingly.
I find it odd that it seems like it is only old-timers that have cared to comment.
To me this is a big deal. I know if I was first class that would stop now based on this allegation
Gs
Mind you it is also some of the biggest kids sites such as Disney that is also being accused.
Demand media cannot comment on this here other than the standard defend ourselves and since it is before the court no comment.
I posted this so people can be aware and act accordingly.
I find it odd that it seems like it is only old-timers that have cared to comment.
To me this is a big deal. I know if I was first class that would stop now based on this allegation
Gs
Sometimes all you can do is look them in the eye and ask " how much did your mom drink when she was pregnant with you?"
RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
Is this in the T&Cs of this site? I think a bit of clarity would go a long way. If we're going to be followed everywhere in order to give us adverts tailored to our interests, it seems sensible to give us a choice as to whether we consent to this happening (if, indeed, it does with this site) or, failing that, just to let us know that it's going to happen. Most of us are adults, and can make up our minds about whether or not we wish to participate providing we have the necessary information. I have nothing to hide, but at the same time I would still like the choice, even if that choice is between using the site and not using it.
Have you ever felt like you could float into the sky / like the laws of physics simply don't apply?
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- greasespot
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
There will be no answer. There is pending legal action. I am not sure any of us would comment if we had pending legal action.
The purpose was more to inform users of the allegations being made. That way the users can make a decision as to what they want to do.
Gs
The purpose was more to inform users of the allegations being made. That way the users can make a decision as to what they want to do.
Gs
Sometimes all you can do is look them in the eye and ask " how much did your mom drink when she was pregnant with you?"
RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
I myself won't be renewing my 1st class this next time around. Too many problems that aren't being addressed here, and it doesn't involve just this instance sadly.
RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
In all honesty we need answers on this one. Just because it is merely a 'tracking cookie' does not make it all OK - the fact a national, well respected media outlet has picked up on the story makes it a little more serious then that.
Combined with other reports I have read online, it makes me concerned for the community we have here. The lack of attention from the top on a day-to-day basis is acceptable with Anet being part of a larger group of sites, however when issues such as this rear their head we could do with some real input. Reports of 'badware' could genuinely scare people away from here.
Combined with other reports I have read online, it makes me concerned for the community we have here. The lack of attention from the top on a day-to-day basis is acceptable with Anet being part of a larger group of sites, however when issues such as this rear their head we could do with some real input. Reports of 'badware' could genuinely scare people away from here.
No trees were harmed by this message. However, several million electrons were terribly inconvenienced
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- FlyDeltaJets87
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
| Quoting tpa36r (Reply 9): I myself won't be renewing my 1st class this next time around. Too many problems that aren't being addressed here, and it doesn't involve just this instance sadly. |
If I was a First Class Member, I would have stopped paying a long time ago. And I also fully agree that are more issues than just the topic of this thread that need to be addressed (and have been addressed but nothing has been done about them).
| Quoting greasespot (Reply 6): I find it odd that it seems like it is only old-timers that have cared to comment. |
I wonder how much of it has to do with the fact that so many of the "old-timers" have already jumped ship well before this point.
"Let's Roll"- Todd Beamer, United Airlines Flight 93, Sept. 11, 2001
RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
If users continue to discuss Moderator actions in this thread, they will have those posts deleted. Any and ALL questions regarding Moderator actions are to be discussed via the PROPER channel, which is to EMAIL the Moderators ([email protected]).
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- aviationmaster
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
If at all, when can we expect an answer from DM's side regarding this issue?
RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
| Quoting aviationmaster (Reply 16): If at all, when can we expect an answer from DM's side regarding this issue? |
Maybe we already have gotten a response.
Why do Aerospace Engineering students have to turn things in on time?
RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
| Quoting srbmod (Reply 14): If users continue to discuss Moderator actions in this thread, they will have those posts deleted. Any and ALL questions regarding Moderator actions are to be discussed via the PROPER channel, which is to EMAIL the Moderators ([email protected]). |
Copy that ghost rider....
Okay, let me rephrase....ahem....
I hope that DM, A.net staff, can use this as a moment of reflection, which I'm guessing they are. I'm a bit taken aback by the articles I have read on the issue, and I feel that it is somewhat of a stab in the back to users, especially those who have been around.
Let's all hope that this issue gets resolved soon, and for the better:
"Bangkok Tower, United 890 Heavy. Bangkok Tower, United 890 Heavy.....Okay, fine, we'll just turn 190 and Visual Our Way
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PanAm_DC10
Community Manager
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RE: Demand Media Allows Users To Be Spied On?
Since there is a lawsuit before the courts, the staff and crew of airliners.net have been instructed to make no comment whatsoever about the lawsuit or its subject matter.
This not about the moderation of the site. It is a legal matter. This thread will now be archived.
This not about the moderation of the site. It is a legal matter. This thread will now be archived.
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