General :
K-Meleon Web Browser Forum
Assistance please.
Recently there have been a great many posts on other sites and email notes about the use of tracking cookies, etc. Specifically, Yahoo is doing this using "web beacons" if you are a Yahoo group member. I've opted out using both my browers several times through the Yahoo "opt Out" page and also opted out through the "Network Advertising Initiative".
Unfortunately, each time I reboot my computer and open K-meleon (or IE) I'm "re-enrolled" in these tracking programs. I do use McAfee, Advanced System Care 3.1.1,and Spyware Terminator.
What have I set wrong? And how can I stay "opted out" of these tracking programs. K=meleon is my primary browser.
Thanks,
Dick
Web Beacons or Web Bugs basically are no more than a type of tracking cookie and are just as harmless. The many rumors that Web Beacons are spyware are just that, rumors. They can be placed on or your machine from a web site or email and are usually so small and transparent that they are basically invisible. Usually they can be prevented by blocking cookies, but in your case it seems they are pretty stubborn. And blocking cookies can sometimes cause problems when trying to access sites such as shopping and banking.
You may want to check startup programs at Start > Run > type "msconfig" w/o the quotes > OK > Startup tab. But if you are unsure of any programs in the list it may be best to leave it alone. You might also check Add/Remove Programs for something that appears related. But perhaps the best way is to contact Yahoo and Network Advertising Initiative for specific instruction on how the remove them permanently. Their contact information should be on their web sites.
Charlie
~~If it ain't broke, why screw it up?~~
Well, I guess that your choice of opting out is stored in a cookie - I cannot imagine how a website could otherwise identify you as one who opted out. And your problem is that this cookie gets lost. Have you set up any program(s) to delete your cookies frequently?
You need to keep the opt out cooky - which is a give away already.
or web bugs are very small, usually transparent pictures. They are used for tracking. They give away clues about Your providers dynamic IP range and that one of the PPL he hosts has Your surfing habits. They are used by info providers and advertizers. And they are useful to get statistical info since these companies often work together with several pages You visit. By combining several bugs and tracking what is cached Your ways can be tracked. It became the next best thing when PPL started to bar and clear cookies.
Unlike cookies the web bugs are no unique identifiers like yttl@www.microsoft[2].txt.
And contain no info about my system such as IE Cookies which have like 0=/:1=windows:2=windows/ie:3=windows/ie/ie8
and
LanguagePreference
de-de
What can You do for more privacy?
You can use a browser that You can control easily - my example is from an IE cookie. My K-Meleon cookies are more secretive and can be cleared with one click at my Privacy Bar item Cookies. Some pages I visit want cookies - so I allow them and click them away when I go.
What You can do about web bugs?
Use a user css or some program or extension that bars pictures of certain sizes. Exclude known web tracker sites from sending pictures. AFAIK AdBlockPlus by Wladimir Palant will do some of that.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2009 07:55PM by guenter.
Perhaps the beacon is hidden away in History, or cookies or history.dat. In any case I would think these two sites would be able to tell you how to get these little rascals off your machine. And if they won't, threaten to stop visiting any of the sites or to sue them for invasion of your privacy.
Charlie
~~If it ain't broke, why screw it up?~~
General discussion about K-Meleon
tracking cookies
Posted by:
tlcmd
Date: January 09, 2009 05:08PM
Assistance please.
Recently there have been a great many posts on other sites and email notes about the use of tracking cookies, etc. Specifically, Yahoo is doing this using "web beacons" if you are a Yahoo group member. I've opted out using both my browers several times through the Yahoo "opt Out" page and also opted out through the "Network Advertising Initiative".
Unfortunately, each time I reboot my computer and open K-meleon (or IE) I'm "re-enrolled" in these tracking programs. I do use McAfee, Advanced System Care 3.1.1,and Spyware Terminator.
What have I set wrong? And how can I stay "opted out" of these tracking programs. K=meleon is my primary browser.
Thanks,
Dick
Re: tracking cookies
Posted by:
caktus
Date: January 09, 2009 06:14PM
Web Beacons or Web Bugs basically are no more than a type of tracking cookie and are just as harmless. The many rumors that Web Beacons are spyware are just that, rumors. They can be placed on or your machine from a web site or email and are usually so small and transparent that they are basically invisible. Usually they can be prevented by blocking cookies, but in your case it seems they are pretty stubborn. And blocking cookies can sometimes cause problems when trying to access sites such as shopping and banking.
You may want to check startup programs at Start > Run > type "msconfig" w/o the quotes > OK > Startup tab. But if you are unsure of any programs in the list it may be best to leave it alone. You might also check Add/Remove Programs for something that appears related. But perhaps the best way is to contact Yahoo and Network Advertising Initiative for specific instruction on how the remove them permanently. Their contact information should be on their web sites.
Charlie
Re: tracking cookies
Posted by:
kko
Date: January 09, 2009 07:43PM
Quote
tlcmd
What have I set wrong?
Well, I guess that your choice of opting out is stored in a cookie - I cannot imagine how a website could otherwise identify you as one who opted out. And your problem is that this cookie gets lost. Have you set up any program(s) to delete your cookies frequently?
Re: tracking cookies
Posted by:
guenter
Date: January 09, 2009 07:50PM
You need to keep the opt out cooky - which is a give away already.
Quote
tlcmd
"web beacons"
or web bugs are very small, usually transparent pictures. They are used for tracking. They give away clues about Your providers dynamic IP range and that one of the PPL he hosts has Your surfing habits. They are used by info providers and advertizers. And they are useful to get statistical info since these companies often work together with several pages You visit. By combining several bugs and tracking what is cached Your ways can be tracked. It became the next best thing when PPL started to bar and clear cookies.
Unlike cookies the web bugs are no unique identifiers like yttl@www.microsoft[2].txt.
And contain no info about my system such as IE Cookies which have like 0=/:1=windows:2=windows/ie:3=windows/ie/ie8
and
LanguagePreference
de-de
What can You do for more privacy?
You can use a browser that You can control easily - my example is from an IE cookie. My K-Meleon cookies are more secretive and can be cleared with one click at my Privacy Bar item Cookies. Some pages I visit want cookies - so I allow them and click them away when I go.
What You can do about web bugs?
Use a user css or some program or extension that bars pictures of certain sizes. Exclude known web tracker sites from sending pictures. AFAIK AdBlockPlus by Wladimir Palant will do some of that.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2009 07:55PM by guenter.
Re: tracking cookies
Posted by:
caktus
Date: January 10, 2009 03:09AM
Perhaps the beacon is hidden away in History, or cookies or history.dat. In any case I would think these two sites would be able to tell you how to get these little rascals off your machine. And if they won't, threaten to stop visiting any of the sites or to sue them for invasion of your privacy.
Charlie
English