NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Charter DPI tracks users whether opted-out or not
Not exactly a surprise.
--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator
------- Forwarded Message
From: David Farber <dave@farber.net>
To: "ip" <ip@v2.listbox.com>
Subject: [IP] Charter tracks user activity even if users opt out
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 08:08:08 -0400
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Rich Kulawiec <rsk@gsp.org>
> Date: May 20, 2008 9:24:16 PM EDT
> To: David Farber <dave@farber.net>, Richard Forno <rforno@infowarrior.org
> >, Fergie <fergdawg@netzero.net>
> Subject: Charter tracks user activity even if users opt out
>
> Via The Consumerist:
>
> UPDATE: Charter Will Track Your Internet Activity Regardless
> Of Whether You Opt Out
> http://consumerist.com/tag/privacy/?i=5009976&t=update-charter-will-track-your-internet-activity-regardless-of-whether-you-opt-out
>
> Excerpt:
>
> When a customer clicks a link, advertisement, or visits a
> page, Charter will capture the browsing data and send it to
> the third-party advertising provider. If Charter wanted to
> offer a functional opt-out, it would be at this deep-packet
> inspection level. The do not offer a way out of that service,
> however. The only thing they offer is the cookie-based
> solution
> you've previously covered, which *merely tells the third-party
> organization not to match the machine with the DPI-harvested
> data
> or deliver the advertising*. Customer browsing is still being
> captured and is still being turned over regardless of anyone's
> individual opt-out status, but the third party is just blocked
> from doing anything with it by the cookie.
>
> I might also point out that by doing this *Charter is
> explicitly
> requesting that their customers choose not to follow safe
> browsing best practices.* [...]
>
> I'm not sure "the third party is just blocked from doing anything with
> it by the cookie" is entirely accurate, however; I think "the third
> party is supposed to honor the cookie and not supposed to use the data
> and not supposed to match the data against the machine" may be more
> likely.
>
> ---Rsk
>
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<html><body bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF"><div><br><br><br>Begin forwarded message:<b=
r><br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div><b>From:</b> Rich Kulawiec <<=
a href=3D"mailto:rsk@gsp.org";>rsk@gsp.org</a>><br><b>Date:</b> May 20, 2=
008 9:24:16 PM EDT<br><b>To:</b> David Farber <<a href=3D"mailto:dave@fa=
rber.net">dave@farber.net</a>>, Richard Forno <<a href=3D"mailto:rfor=
no@infowarrior.org">rforno@infowarrior.org</a>>, Fergie <<a href=3D"m=
ailto:fergdawg@netzero.net">fergdawg@netzero.net</a>><br><b>Subject:</b>=
<b>Charter tracks user activity even if users opt out</b><br><br></div></b=
lockquote><div></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div><span>Via The Consumeri=
st:</span><br><span></span><br><span> &=
nbsp;UPDATE: Charter Will Track Your Internet Activity Regardless Of Whethe=
r You Opt Out</span><br><span> <a=
href=3D"http://consumerist.com/tag/privacy/?i=3D5009976&t=3Dupdate-cha=
rter-will-track-your-internet-activity-regardless-of-whether-you-opt-out"><=
a href=3D"http://consumerist.com/tag/privacy/?i=3D5009976&t=3Dupdate-ch=
arter-will-track-your-internet-activity-regardless-of-whether-you-opt-out">=
http://consumerist.com/tag/privacy/?i=3D5009976&t=3Dupdate-charter-will=
- -track-your-internet-activity-regardless-of-whether-you-opt-out</a></a></sp=
an><br><span></span><br><span>Excerpt:</span><br><span></span><br><span> &n=
bsp; When a customer clicks a link, adve=
rtisement, or visits a</span><br><span>  =
; page, Charter will capture the browsing data and send it to</span><b=
r><span> the third-party advertis=
ing provider. If Charter wanted to</span><br><span>  =
; offer a functional opt-out, it would be at this de=
ep-packet</span><br><span> inspec=
tion level. The do not offer a way out of that service,</span><br><sp=
an> however. The only thing=
they offer is the cookie-based solution</span><br><span>  =
; you've previously covered, which *merely tells the=
third-party</span><br><span> org=
anization not to match the machine with the DPI-harvested data</span><br><s=
pan> or deliver the advertising*.=
Customer browsing is still being</span><br><span> =
captured and is still being turned over regardless =
of anyone's</span><br><span> indi=
vidual opt-out status, but the third party is just blocked</span><br><span>=
from doing anything with it by t=
he cookie.</span><br><span></span><br><span> =
I might also point out that by doing this *Charter is explicitl=
y</span><br><span> requesting tha=
t their customers choose not to follow safe</span><br><span> &n=
bsp; browsing best practices.* [...]</span><br><span=
></span><br><span>I'm not sure "the third party is just blocked from doing =
anything with</span><br><span>it by the cookie" is entirely accurate, howev=
er; I think "the third</span><br><span>party is supposed to honor the cooki=
e and not supposed to use the data</span><br><span>and not supposed to matc=
h the data against the machine" may be more likely.</span><br><span></span>=
<br><span>---Rsk</span><br><span></span><br></div></blockquote><div style=
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