[cisb102sp04] CISB102 L3 Q6 Web Bugs
- From: "Janet Przystas" <jprzystas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "CISB102 Listserv" <cisb102sp04@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 19:18:03 -0500
My topic is Web Bugs. Most of the other topic covered in the chapter I have
had some knowledge of. Not Web Bugs. Maybe I've been oblivious, but this is a
new one on me. According to The Web Bug FAQ, "A Web Bug is a graphics on a Web
page or in an Email message that is designed to monitor who is reading the Web
page or Email message." The bug is generally one pixel high and one pixel wide
making it next to impossible to see on a web page unless you look at the HTML
code. They serve a similar purpose as cookies and sometimes work with them to
monitor your website viewing habits or selections.
I would agree with some of the articles that this practice of using Web Bugs is
borderline unethical and should most likely be disclosed in all privacy
policies. An article from CNet in July 2000 stated, "Web bugs are like carbon
monoxide for Internet privacy," said Jason Catlett, a privacy advocate with
Junkbusters. "You can't see them, but they can damage your privacy anyway."
Some web sites that further define and discuss Web Bugs include:
http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Marketing/web_bug.html
http://news.com.com/2100-1017-243077.html?legacy=cnet
http://www.bugnosis.org/faq.html
The last site has FAQs and a Web Bug detection utility. I did not try to
install the utility. As with any new software, use at your own risk!
"Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want."
Janet Przystas
jprzystas@xxxxxxxxxxx
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