Cuil

[Thurston Fluff]

Looks like a conspiracy theory website to me...

 

The site is and it isn't the one I really wanted to post due to that. I posted that one mostly because I couldn't find the much more mainstream article from USA Today. ( I think it was them it was more than a year ago but that's one of the papers I routinely read) which had a fairly in depth article on their privacy problems. I should have probably just not posted at all but recognized some of the stuff in their list as the same as the mainstream article. Like the cookie that gives a personal id to your computer. I realize it may be fairly easy for some who know enough about computers to prevent it but many users are not as proficient with computers and the net as a guy who runs his own website and works in a computer related field.

It's not that big a deal to me because all I ever really research is fairly mundane ordinary things. That doesn't mean I'm overly thrilled with some corporate giant having the ability to research my private life without my express written consent. Even if it is just for their marketing purposes.

[Brian the Automator]

Looks like a conspiracy theory website to me...

 

Like the cookie that gives a personal id to your computer.

I guess I don't see the problem here... if you look in your cookies folder, there are a TON of sites that do this... pretty much any site that has any marketing component. It's one of the reasons why Google doesn't cost money to use.

 

I think what people fail to realize, is that these services are absolutely free, and to maintain that business model, they have to stay afloat with advertising, and targeted advertising. I guess someone could come along and make a search engine that was funded on a subscription-based basis and wouldn't log anything and wouldn't leave any cookies on your hard drive... but who would ever pay for a search engine these days?

[Thurston Fluff]

Fair enough Brian. I would rather pay a small sum and know/have control over what information is being collected about me but that is just my personal preference. Pity no one has tired that so we had choices. At this point I think you're right that no one would pay unless they made a big deal out of the privacy issues. Even then how many really care if people do collect information on them? It's so common place these days people are immune to it. The whole personal privacy invasion is one of my pet peeves so maybe that is why I have an aversion to them. Couldn't even tell you why I have the privacy peeve since I'm pretty much a boring person with no cool or interesting skeletons in my closet.

[Katuluu]

Is there a website that doesn't use cookies in some form or another? If you are worried about data collection from that then I can only assume you must not use any banking institution and pay for every transaction in cash.

 

Honestly, you are probably safer from "Big Brother" with the massive amount of data collection their currently is then if it was minimized. Their is just so much information out there now that it is impossible to keep up with any particulars from all the noise.

[Brian the Automator]

Honestly, you are probably safer from "Big Brother" with the massive amount of data collection their currently is then if it was minimized. Their is just so much information out there now that it is impossible to keep up with any particulars from all the noise.

Sure, Kat. That's what you and your government cronies WANT us to think. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

[orca1963]

Not impressed with what I have seen. You can't search for vids or pics the way you can on google either.

[Thurston Fluff]

If you are worried about data collection from that then I can only assume you must not use any banking institution and pay for every transaction in cash.

 

 

Rest assured they have a certified letter telling them they cannot sell my information or use it for any outside purpose without first getting my permission. It's mine and if anyone if going to make money selling it it's going to be me if I can help it. But as I've said I concede the point that it routinely happens in a lot of internet services. Doesn't mean I won't look for the ones least offensive in that area though.