IP: Comet cursor in crosshairs

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> From: "Rodger, William" <wrodger () usatoday com>
> To: "'farber () cis upenn edu'" <farber () cis upenn edu>
>
>
> Dave --
>
> Here we go again...
>
> By Will Rodger, USATODAY.com
>
> The Gore campaign Monday yanked a feature from its Web site after activists
> raised concerns it could compromise users' privacy.
>
> The high-tech gizmo looked innocent enough: a customizable computer cursor
> that would change from a simple pointer to a Gore 2000 button anytime a Net
> surfer visited the site.
>
> But the software download that made it possible also tracks the online
> movements of its users -- a real no-no for a candidate slated to tout the
> virtues of Internet self-regulation later this week.
>
> "To the best of our knowledge no personally identifiable information was
> ever divulged," Gore campaign Spokesman Chris Lehane says. "But even this
> very benign data collection doesn't meet the Gore campaign standard. As a
> result, once it was brought to our attention it was removed from the Gore
> 2000 Web site."..........................
>
> More at:
> http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/ctg764.htm
>
> Will