Tag: privacy
Viacom wins right to sift through YouTube user data, all four terabytes of it
In the long running battle between Viacom and Google over YouTube hosting copyrighted videos, Viacom has now won a ruling to allow it to access a complete set of video viewing records, totalling some four terabytes of data.
Google argues that the data, which lists every IP address and the videos watched, would infringe on its users’ privacy. The judge used Google’s own argument — that IP addresses don’t personally identify an individual — to throw out that objection.
Facebook in fresh privacy row, Canadian students call for probe
Social networking site, Facebook, is coming under more pressure to change its policies protecting users’ personal information after a Canadian privacy group has called for the organisation’s practises to be investigated.
All-knowing ISPs may start advertising to you based on how you surf
It would be naïve to think that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) doesn’t hold an incredible amount of information about you. Unless you’re incredibly stealthy / geeky, they have access to every web site you view, every email message you send, every instant messaging conversation you hold… well I could go on, but you get the idea.
Now, a formula: ISP with a lot of personal information about you + ISP wanting to make more money = showing you targeted advertising while you use the Internet.
In reality, some ISPs have probably already been sharing bits of your data with other companies, but now a company called Phorm wants to insert relevant ads as you surf.
Facebook bows to mass criticism but doesn't abolish snooping Beacon service
Though, on the surface, the idea of being able to let your Facebook friends know when you've bought a movie ticket or are going to travel to some far-flung destination seems good, when it comes to how the social networking…
AT&T is getting all 1984 on yo' asses, so if you criticise them, you're out
Want another reason to dislike those sharks at AT&T? As if the awful mobile reception and huge phone bills weren’t bad enough, stories have surfaced in the past few days about their controversial Terms of Service, which allow the US company to terminate a customer’s service if acts of a defamatory or damaging manner are made against their reputation.
If caught criticising them on blogs, for instance, they reserve the right to terminate your connection completely. A spokesperson for the company however denied they would stoop to censorship…
Why your MySpace profile could lose you that dream job
Picture the scene. You’ve made it to the final round of interviews for an amazing job, offering a huge salary, a wealth of benefits, and more minions than you’d know what to do with. You’re sailing through the questions with aplomb, and the job’s in the bag.
Could your PVR be infringing your privacy?
Interesting news from the US, where TiVo has launched a service called StopWatch which sells real-time information to broadcasters and advertisers on what shows TiVo subscribers are watching, and which adverts they're skipping. The San Francisco Chronicle has picked up…
Personal security is compromised by gadget use, claims Washington Post
There's nothing like a good scaremongering article to frighten technophobes and technology lovers alike, and the Washington Post has had a pretty good go at one. The lengthy article entitled "Enjoying Technology's Conveniences But Not Escaping Its Watchful Eyes" maps…
Does Firefox 2's anti-phishing tool violate privacy?
There are concerns that the latest and greatest Firefox, version 2, could compromise a user's privacy because of the way that its anti-phishing system works. To use the feature, you (apparently, I haven't used it yet) have to send Google…
