The US Senate is considering new rules for tracking cookies. - GoFuckYourself.com

Redrob · 07-03-2011, 10:20 PM

June 29, 2011

Based on research that the American public is sick of targeted advertising and consider the tracking cookies an invasion of privacy, the Senate is considering regulations that will regulate setting cookies that can uniquely identify individuals.

Quote:

Rockefeller touted his proposed bill, the Do-Not-Track Online Act (S. 917), which would require ad networks and other companies to honor users' requests to opt out of online data gathering. "This bill is based on a simple concept," he said. "With an easy click of the mouse, consumers can tell all online companies that they do not want their information collected."

The "Do Not Track Online Act" will make online sales (think basket) and affiliate tracking more difficult.

Research from the FTC reports:

Quote:

The desire by a majority of Americans not to be followed for the purpose of tailored content comes
at a time when behavioral targeting is a fast-growing advertising practice upon which many content
providers have staked their businesses.

Quote:

This survey?s findings support the proposition that consumers should have a substantive right to
reject behavioral targeting and its underlying practices. Rejection could take the form of a
reinvigorated opt out right that actually pertains to collection of information. It could also be
implemented through a procedure to enforce an option to delete records. In fact, default rules
creating opt in and opt out may be less important than time limits for keeping data. While some
accommodations may need to be made for keeping data for security reasons, firms should not be
able to use data for marketing purposes for periods longer than those consumers want.

Quote:

We can suggest, however, that many of them understand
that behavioral targeting can lead to hidden forms of social discrimination. Many may be
uncomfortable with the realization that tailored content and tracking go hand-in-hand. They may
know that these activities can lead marketers to retail policies that place them at a disadvantage
compared to other consumers. They may fear receiving tailored ads for products that are not as
upscale and tailored discounts that are not as generous as the ones their neighbors get. They may
worry, too, that news served to them based on criteria they don?t understand may separate them
from views of the world received by others whom marketers judge differently.

Link to Research.

Spunky · 07-03-2011, 10:30 PM

The man will always try to hold you down

Seth Manson · 07-03-2011, 10:36 PM

I wish I had some cookies right now

kane · 07-03-2011, 10:37 PM

I wonder what the percentage is of adult site memberships where the person clicks a link, gets a cookie installed, leaves the site then comes back and joins later. I always thought it was pretty small because I see our product as very much an impulse buy, but I wonder what the actual number is.

martinsc · 07-03-2011, 10:40 PM

milk - check, cookies - no check

Barry-xlovecam · 07-03-2011, 11:59 PM

Xlovecam and other ACWM websites use both IP and cookie sessions.

We encourage visitors and affiliate referrals to register free, and when doing so, the referral source, including any affiliate referral code (or reference) is recorded in a database as to credit the rev-share for the affiliates on any future purchase.

The only thing endangered for us is a 10 year return cookie that we set showing the affiliate to carry over for the sessions.

Basically, with the EU directives on tracking on the Internet and now this proposed law ? the cookie method of tracking affiliate rev-share commission may become a thing of the past.

ottopottomouse · 07-04-2011, 03:55 AM

It's got a lot of people confused about what the rules actually are. Seeing quite a few uk sites at the moment with a popup like this - http://www.topgear.com/uk/

Wizzo · 07-04-2011, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redrob

June 29, 2011

Based on research that the American public is sick of targeted advertising and consider the tracking cookies an invasion of privacy, the Senate is considering regulations that will regulate setting cookies that can uniquely identify individuals.

People are so stupid some times, I would much rather have ads targeting things I might be interested in, rather than stuff that 13year old girls or 80 year old retirees would find of interest.

Barry-xlovecam · 07-04-2011, 08:23 AM

Funny story, I once looked for a magnifying lamp for a friend online. Until I deleted the right cookie ads for this lamp kept appearing. The same thing happened to me with a ad for a kitchen faucet vendor.

The ads themselves were just mildly irritating as they were not for any personal product that I would have preferred that my interests be kept to myself.

However, from my own experiences I might be inclined to use some "private browser setting."

However, by using private browsing many of the cookies that we use for site features would be session only with the user's experience diminished on a return visit.

Conclusion: this bright idea by the ad networks has backfired and in the end will cost website operators.

Redrob · 07-04-2011, 01:41 PM

Anybody know of any alternative solutions?

u-Bob · 07-04-2011, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redrob

Anybody know of any alternative solutions?

LSO's (Local Shared Objects). They're sometimes called 'flash cookies'. But I think it's best we start referring to them as LSO instead of flash cookies.

Kiopa_Matt · 07-04-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redrob

Anybody know of any alternative solutions?

Don't even worry about. 100% impossible to enforce. Best they can hope for is forcing browsers to change the default settings so it "security" is set to high. That's it though.

What are they going to do? Give you shit because you installed some PHP script on your site that uses cookies? Hardly.

Barry-xlovecam · 07-04-2011, 05:14 PM

LSO (local shared objects) or .sol files will be treated like cookies rather soon anyway. We use them to store certain preferences and information but I don't feel that they will be "untouchable" for very long ...

Unfortunately, client side tracking will be a thing of the past soon. I think the only alternative is URL and sever side database tracking. If the legislators had 1/2 a brain they would just regulate 3rd party cookies and tracking, that is their real intent but it seems like they have no understanding of the technical aspects in this. Maybe someone could clue them in???

u-Bob · 07-04-2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry-xlovecam

it seems like they have no understanding of the technical aspects in this.

as is the case most of the time when legislators try to regulate things....

directfiesta · 07-04-2011, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martinsc

milk - check, cookies - no check

...

96ukssob · 07-04-2011, 08:28 PM

a lot of advertisers would be pissed about this... including companies that rely on cookies to track revenue and sales

07-03-2011, 10:30 PM	#2
Spunky I need a beer Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ♠ Toiletville ♠ Posts: 133,928	The man will always try to hold you down __________________ *YOUR INFORMATION HERE*

07-03-2011, 10:36 PM	#3
Seth Manson Please dont fuck animals Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 3,988	I wish I had some cookies right now __________________

07-03-2011, 10:40 PM	#5
martinsc Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: 127.0.0.1 Posts: 27,047	milk - check, cookies - no check __________________ Make Money

07-03-2011, 11:59 PM	#6
Barry-xlovecam It's 42 Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Global Posts: 18,083	Xlovecam and other ACWM websites use both IP and cookie sessions. We encourage visitors and affiliate referrals to register free, and when doing so, the referral source, including any affiliate referral code (or reference) is recorded in a database as to credit the rev-share for the affiliates on any future purchase. The only thing endangered for us is a 10 year return cookie that we set showing the affiliate to carry over for the sessions. Basically, with the EU directives on tracking on the Internet and now this proposed law ? the cookie method of tracking affiliate rev-share commission may become a thing of the past.

07-04-2011, 03:55 AM	#7
ottopottomouse She is ugly, bad luck. Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 13,177	It's got a lot of people confused about what the rules actually are. Seeing quite a few uk sites at the moment with a popup like this - http://www.topgear.com/uk/ __________________ ↑ see post ↑ 13101

07-03-2011, 10:37 PM	#4
kane Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: portland, OR Posts: 20,684	I wonder what the percentage is of adult site memberships where the person clicks a link, gets a cookie installed, leaves the site then comes back and joins later. I always thought it was pretty small because I see our product as very much an impulse buy, but I wonder what the actual number is.

07-04-2011, 08:23 AM	#9
Barry-xlovecam It's 42 Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Global Posts: 18,083	Funny story, I once looked for a magnifying lamp for a friend online. Until I deleted the right cookie ads for this lamp kept appearing. The same thing happened to me with a ad for a kitchen faucet vendor. The ads themselves were just mildly irritating as they were not for any personal product that I would have preferred that my interests be kept to myself. However, from my own experiences I might be inclined to use some "private browser setting." However, by using private browsing many of the cookies that we use for site features would be session only with the user's experience diminished on a return visit. Conclusion: this bright idea by the ad networks has backfired and in the end will cost website operators.

07-04-2011, 01:41 PM	#10
Redrob Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: In a refrigerator box by the tracks. Posts: 4,790	Anybody know of any alternative solutions?

07-04-2011, 05:14 PM	#13
Barry-xlovecam It's 42 Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Global Posts: 18,083	LSO (local shared objects) or .sol files will be treated like cookies rather soon anyway. We use them to store certain preferences and information but I don't feel that they will be "untouchable" for very long ... Unfortunately, client side tracking will be a thing of the past soon. I think the only alternative is URL and sever side database tracking. If the legislators had 1/2 a brain they would just regulate 3rd party cookies and tracking, that is their real intent but it seems like they have no understanding of the technical aspects in this. Maybe someone could clue them in???

07-04-2011, 08:28 PM	#16
96ukssob So Fucking Banananananas Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: If I was in your ass you'd know it Posts: 12,991	a lot of advertisers would be pissed about this... including companies that rely on cookies to track revenue and sales __________________ Email: Clicky on Me