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Verizon Wireless to allow customers to actually opt-out of controversial supercookie tracking


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Verizon in a 180° turnaround made this announcement:

 

Excerpt:

 

"Debi Lewis, a Verizon spokeswoman, issued a statement first reported on by the New York Times about the change:

 

Verizon takes customer privacy seriously and it is a central consideration as we develop new products and services. As the mobile advertising ecosystem evolves, and our advertising business grows, delivering solutions with best-in-class privacy protections remains our focus.

We listen to our customers and provide them the ability to opt out of our advertising programs. We have begun working to expand the opt-out to include the identifier referred to as the UIDH, and expect that to be available soon. As a reminder, Verizon never shares customer information with third parties as part of our advertising programs.

Verizon began inserting the tracking code into the Web traffic of its "retail customers" -- those not on business or government contracts -- in 2012. But the program reached a higher profile last fall, when many critics and researchers raised concerns about it, dubbing it a "supercookie. The unique string of numbers, which the company calls a UIDH or "Unique Identifier Header," might be used by other companies looking to track users' online behavior or even governments, they worried. AT&T, which was also experimenting with a program similar to Verizon's, announced it was dropping the supercookie in November.

But Verizon defended the practice, saying it was "it is unlikely that sites and ad entities will attempt to build customer profiles for online advertising" in a message posted to its Web site. Then earlier this month, privacy researchers revealed that a third-party advertising tracking company was using the code to bring back their own cookies, even if consumers had taken steps to remove them. The company, TURN, has since said it will discontinue the practice."

 

The article in full is here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/01/30/verizon-wireless-to-allow-customers-to-actually-opt-out-of-controversial-supercookie-tracking/

 

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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YW Bill!

 

I'll be looking too. If I see it first I'll post, you do if you find it before me.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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The opt-out is not available yet. I am sure there will be a big announcement when it is available, but I am not expecting it soon.

2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid, Fulltimer July 2003 to October 2018, Parttimer now.
Travels through much of 2013 - http://www.sacnoth.com - Bill, Diane and Evita (the cat)
 

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Linda,

That is what I meant when I said that whoever sees it first to post back here for the rest of us.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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