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Internet Cookies: Changing Internet Use and Privacy

Internet Cookies: Changing Internet Use and Privacy. Lindsay Maidment & Katherine Hollander November 8, 2006. Why talk about Cookies?. We wanted to choose a topic that we did not know much about As a technologically advanced generation, we use the internet virtually everyday

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Internet Cookies: Changing Internet Use and Privacy

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  1. Internet Cookies: Changing Internet Use and Privacy Lindsay Maidment & Katherine Hollander November 8, 2006

  2. Why talk about Cookies? • We wanted to choose a topic that we did not know much about • As a technologically advanced generation, we use the internet virtually everyday • Read about DoubleClick Inc. and its business tactics

  3. Which best describes an internet cookie? • A) A hacker breaks into your computer and looks at your files. • B) The telephone number that dials into an online service. • C) Files downloaded onto your computer that track your online habits. • D) I have no idea.

  4. Business Week Survey… • A) Hacker – 6% • B) Phone number – 4% • C) Tracking file – 75% • D) Didn’t know – 15% **This survey was a telephone survey of 1,014 randomly selected adults between March 2 and March 6 of 2000, by Harris Interactive.

  5. Knowing the Basics: • In the Business Week survey in 2000, only 40% of the randomly selected knew what an internet cookie was. **This survey was a telephone survey of 1,014 randomly selected adults between March 2 and March 6 of 2000, by Harris Interactive.

  6. What is a cookie? • A text file which a website can store on its visitors’ hard drives • Made up of numbers and letters • Generally, cookies are a simple ID file • Sometimes they can store more complicated information • Also called “name-value pairs”

  7. What’s the point? • Sites use cookies to… • Track number of visitors • First timers vs. returning visitors • How often the user visits the site • Why? • Frequent Buyer example • $$$ from Advertisers

  8. Where are cookies? • You can find cookie files on your hard drive, your “C” drive.

  9. Mmmm! cookies… • They remember usernames for various sites that require log-in • Also have the option to remember your passwords for you! • They allow you to shop as you browse via online shopping carts! • Cookies provide user customization of sites, like weather.com & msn.com

  10. Bittersweet: the problems • Multiple users on the same hard drive • Family computer, internet cafes • Credit card fraud • Easily erasable • Throw off site’s total counts • Can contain spyware! • Can pass on personal information without user’s permission (email address, phone number, credit card number, etc.)

  11. DoubleClick Inc. • Developed cookie program that can follow and save user internet browsing • Such cookie files are saved into text profiles • Profiles can be extensive and detailed • Serves over 200 billion ads per month

  12. Benefits of DoubleClick: • Advertisers! • Allows internet advertisers to place their ads on sites or pages which will reach their target audiences • Online Shoppers! • Can provide easy access to interesting products without the hassle of a long search • Jeans Example

  13. Doubts behind Doubleclick: • Announced plan to link anonymous cookie profiles to personal user information without user’s permission. • Invasion of privacy! (In depth look at DoubleClick litigation) • DoubleClick planned to turn around and sell the comprehensive profiles to other companies. • Spam & Spyware can be found within cookie files without user’s knowledge. • Samantha Jones example

  14. Life without cookies… • Many sites are heavily dependent on cookies and may not function well without them • Some may not function at all • Erasing cookies prevents visitors from making use of certain amenities sites offer

  15. Questions? Or Comments?

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