Yahoo Web Beacons (SPYING) - how to disable.

[emb123]

I received this email (it's genuine) advising of (so far) legitimate tracking that is used by Yahoo to track the web activity of members of any Yahoo group (e.g. freecycle), even when they are not using Yahoo.

There is an option to require them to NOT do that.

This is a heads up to advise that the default is for this to be enabled.

They may consider this to be for marketing purposes only but I'm afraid that I would call it spying and there are instructions here on where to switch this off.

It is only relevant for people who have Yahoo accounts. You need to be signed into your Yahoo account when you go to the link.



How To Opt Out Of
Yahoo's New 'Web Beacon'
6-5-7


If you belong to ANY Yahoo Group - be aware that Yahoo is now
using "Web Beacons" to track the Internet navigation of every Yahoo
user. It's similar to cookies, but allows Yahoo to record every
website And every group you visit -ANYWHERE- on the Internet, even
when you're Not connected to Yahoo.

To stop this privacy invasive surveillance, go to Yahoo's updated
privacy statement at:

http://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/details.html

About half-way down the page, in the section on cookies, you will
See a link that says WEB BEACONS.

looks like this...
------------ --------- --------- --------- ---------
Cookies

* Yahoo! may set and access Yahoo! cookies on your computer.
* Yahoo! lets other companies that show advertisements on some of
our pages set and access their cookies on your computer.
Other companies' use of their cookies is subject to their own
privacy policies, not this one. Advertisers or other companies do
not have access to Yahoo!'s cookies.
* Yahoo! uses web beacons to access Yahoo! cookies inside and
outside our network of web sites and in connection with Yahoo!
products and services.
------------ --------- --------- --------- ---------

Click on the phrase "Web Beacons." On the page that opens, find a
paragraph entitled "Outside the Yahoo Network."

In that section find a little "Click Here to Opt Out" link that Will
let you "opt-out" of their snooping.

looks like this...
------------ --------- --------- --------- ---------
Outside the Yahoo! Network

* Yahoo! uses web beacons to conduct research on behalf of certain
partners on their web sites and also for auditing purposes.
* Information recorded through these web beacons is used to report
anonymous individual and/or aggregate information about Yahoo! users
to our partners.
Aggregate information may include demographic and usage information.
No personally identifiable information about you is shared with
partners from this research.
* When conducting research Yahoo!'s practice is to require our
partners to disclose the presence of these web beacons on their
pages in their privacy policies and state what choices are available
to users regarding the collection and use of this information. You
may choose to opt-out of Yahoo! using this information for this
research.

Please click here to opt-out.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------
NOTE: Be careful to not opt back in by clicking the wrong button!!

[Bob M]

Thanks for the info I would never have found that one but have now opted out, you need to be very wary in using this they imediately invite you to opt back in!

[ashaw1]

Thanks for the info, have just done it!

[emb123]

no problem, glad to help

It's clear they really don't want you to disable them though from the way they present the large button at the bottom of the screen trying to 'encourage' you to re-enable them.

The UK is pretty good in the way it deals with UK based companies advertising online (especially spam email and use of cookies) compared with a great many countries, but this spying exploit is so new that the law has obviously not evolved yet to require that these people be up front about what they are doing. Perhaps it's because the government hasn't figured out how they can use it yet!