[LINK] Redirects, User counters and Advertising

[Marghanita da Cruz]

Craig Sanders wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 25, 2007 at 08:41:11PM +1000, Irene Graham wrote:
> 
>>Re advert tracking etc, Telstra's using Omniture - masses of Omniture 
>>related javascript in the source code of home page and on visiting Telstra 
>>home page my firewall logged visits to "cnetaustralia.122.2o7.net" and 
>>2o7.net is Omniture. 
> 
> 
> i've been blocking 2o7.net for years.
> 
> 
>>http://www.2o7.net redirects to: 
>>http://www.omniture.com/privacy/2o7?f=2o7
>>
>>which tells you that you can "opt-out" of Omniture tracking etc (they don't 
>>call it that of course). How can you opt out? Allow Omniture to put a 
>>cookie on your computer.
>>
>>One more domain is about to become permanently blocked by my firewall!
> 
> 
> if you're running firefox, then install the Ad Block Plus add-on.  it will
> block most known advertisements and web bugs.  you can configure it to
> auto-update the blacklist periodically.
> 
> http://adblockplus.org/
> 
> also worthwhile is No Script. it allows you to selectively disable
> javascript (and java, flash, and other potential annoyances/spyware)
> on a per site basis. it's best to configure it to disable scripts by
> default and only enable them for sites that need it when you want to.
> you can enable a site either temporarily (i.e. until you quit the
> browser) or permanently (until you disable it for that site again).
> 
> http://noscript.net/
> 
> 
> i install these two plugins on every machine that i install firefox on.
> there are a bunch of others (including Tab Mix Plus, Refresh Blocker,
> Redirect Remover, Mozex, Flashgot) i also usually install but they're
> optional - these two are essential.
> 
> 
> 
> maybe EFA should have a web page linking to privacy-protection tools like
> these...

Generic  Script Blocking is one approach.

Black and whitelisting has its limitations and Spammers seem to be
faking IP addresses to work around it.

But ultimately, website owners need to be aware of what's being done to
their visitors.

One of the easiest ways of counting pageviews is the use of a graphic.
The owner of the graphic/image/logo, the owner of the website can source
the use which may or may not be legitimate. Ofcourse the "evil" will
just copy the graphic.

Creative Commons could do this as they provide a graphic as part of html
for referring to their license - one of which I have used for the
previously mentione workshop slides, which need to be expanded to
identify issues to be covered in polices to address the issues covered 
in these threads.

previously I said.
>> Linkers can access the latest version of the slides with
>> username: link
>> password: link
>> at
>> <http://www.ramin.com.au/workshops/value-of-online-services.html>

Marghanita
-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://www.ramin.com.au/itgovernance
Telephone: 0414-869202
Ramin Communications Pty Ltd
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