Online privacy to be discussed at Senate by Zuzana Zelenakova

The Internet has a great power over its users whether they realize that or not. By being connected to the World Wide Web all of us surfing the net are exposed to certain dangers concerning mainly our online privacy and personal data. Different computer companies eagerly take advantage of this fact in order to rise their profits. And here comes a time that even Senate of the United States of America found some objections against such companies feeling that they abuse their customers´ confidence. Companies that are to be at the hearing that takes place on Wednesday are the biggest Internet players, we are talking about Microsoft Corp., Google Inc., Facebook Inc., and surprisingly the most attention has been drawn by a small online advertising company based in Redwood City, California. NebuAd business strategy is to cooperate directly with Internet Service Providers (ISP). Hardware located within the ISP network is capable of inserting content into pages. Then there is an off-site server whose aim is basically to track the users´ Internet communications. “This is analogous to AT&T listening to your phone calls all day in order to figure out what to sell you in the middle of dinner,” said Robert Topolski, a technology consultant to Public Knowledge and Free Press, which also raised objections against NebuAd. The company says that this way it gets a better idea about its customers´ interests. Its policy says that they will “specifically not store or use any information relating to confidential medical information, racial or ethnic origins, religious beliefs or sexuality which are tied to personally identifiable information.” However, it seems that controversy around the company cost it another customer and that is Wide Open West, a Denver-based cable provider that has been using NebuAd to track its customers since March. The hearing at Senate will give an opportunity to all those who criticize the software and the similar ones for violating wiretap laws an opportunity to give way to their arguments publicly

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080708/ap_on_hi_te/advertising_privacy;_ylt=AqLjDIAIuPPS29xxhsArEr2s0NUE

by Zuzana Zelenakova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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posted by Lucia Adamova