New Technique for Tracking Site Visitors - Heres how to block it.

[TheBlueRaja]

Thanks to Slashdot...

According to Jupiter Research, 58% of web surfers deleted cookies from their system in 2004. This has sent a loud message to marketers in regard to consumer's preference as to tracking their online activities. The marketers have responded with PIE. Persistent Identification Element (PIE) is a technology that uses Macromedia's Flash MX to track you even without using cookies. Macromedia has created a page to instruct users on how to disable this."

What is happening is that instead of using Cookies to track you - some companies are instead tracking you via Flash elements on web pages. If you go here
to the flash website you can use the control panel there to configure how Flash is handled in your browser and prevent things like this from happening.

To require that all websites ask your permission before using your camera or microphone, or to prevent any website from accessing your camera or microphone, you use the Global Privacy Settings Panel.

To specify the amount of disk space that websites you haven't yet visited can use to store information on your computer, or to prevent websites you haven't yet visited from storing information on your computer, you use the Global Storage Settings Panel.

To specify if certain websites are allowed to access information on other websites, you use the Global Security Settings Panel.

To specify if and how often Flash Player should check for updated versions, you use the Global Notifications Settings Panel.

To view or change the privacy settings for websites you have already visited, you use the Website Privacy Settings Panel.

To view or change the storage settings for websites you have already visited, or to delete information that any or all websites have already stored on your computer, you use the Website Storage Settings Panel.

EDIT: Should have said - more detailed instructions are available at the bottom of each section on the site to explain what it does.

[MetaWraith]

ummmmmmm PIE
until now I always liked PIE.

Useful info there mate, thanks, repped ya accordingly.

[hoggyspuds]

ummmmmmm PIE
until now I always liked PIE.

hope there's no innuendos there??.....lol!

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

To specify the amount of disk space that websites you haven't yet visited can use to store information on your computer, or to prevent websites you haven't yet visited from storing information on your computer, you use the Global Storage Settings Panel.

I note that www.cableforum.co.uk is so far using only 2Kb...

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by ScaredWebWarrior

I note that www.cableforum.co.uk is so far using only 2Kb...

Doesn't use any for me, but them I'm a paid up member...

Originally Posted by scastle

Doesn't use any for me, but them I'm a paid up member...

So what is being 'tracked' - seems you know? Also, what is it you're implying?

[bmxbandit]

it seems utterly bizarre to me that plugin settings should be configured using your browser, is there a reason for this? Sounds lke a security nightmare to me...

[TheBlueRaja]

Because the browser you use is your interface to any plugin really - think about it - when you watch/launch a flash presentation, shockwave, java or active-x plugin its all via your browser.

Would you rather have a shortcut to a control panel applet or something?

[bmxbandit]

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

Would you rather have a shortcut to a control panel applet or something?

basically, yeah. how hard would it be for someone to write a flash object that could automatcally change your settings?

[TheBlueRaja]

This is just a front end on the Macromedia website with an explantion to make it easy to discern what each setting does.

If you right click on any flash content and goto settings in the menu you will get the same thing on your PC - just without the big and fancy front end.

[bmxbandit]

ah, so it does. makes a bit more sense to me now!

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by ScaredWebWarrior

So what is being 'tracked' - seems you know? Also, what is it you're implying?

Some of the ads on the site use Flash. It's possible these are using flash to track viewing statistics. Being a paid up member of the site means I get no ads. Not implying anything.

[TheBlueRaja]

Paid up member? Have i missed something (again!)

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

Paid up member? Have i missed something (again!)

Click the Donate button at the top of the main forum listing.