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Re: cookies and privacy

Jacob Rose wrote:
> Why not limit Netscape such that it will only send cookies to the user's
> "apparent site" - the one in the URL?  That way, inline imagery that is
> "off-site" won't be able to trigger cookies, and the user will know who
> is receiving them; it wouldn't prevent people from collecting personal
> data about users, but it would definitely make it hard to correlate.
> 
> This seems to me rather an obvious solution; are there any legitimate
> quibbles with it?

This wouldn't actually stop anyone from collecting the data if they so 
choose.  If Clickstream's client's machines do the logging and then send it 
to Clickstream, it is functionally identical to the cookie going directly to 
Clickstream.  Of course, this could be done by any agency looking to create 
value from aggregating traffic usage patterns.

I would like to see an alternative implemented, one which assures privacy, 
but also allows valuable traffic analysis.  Why not define alternate 
persona for WWW surfers?  Including an anonymous one.  Then a user could 
surf during business under one personna, use another while surfing with the 
kids, and yet a third when looking for some alternative content, all from 
the same machine, but with unique identities as far as cookies go.

The truth is, most users want the value offered by customized banners and 
other dynamically generated pages, they just don't want their boss or their 
neighbors or the government to be privvy to all their different habits.  
Alternate personae would solve that problem. Especially if it was as easy to 
switch from one to another by pushing a button on my browser.

Any comments?

-j

--
Joe Andrieu                   Internet Developers Association
President                       http://www.association.org
andrieu@association.org
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