ALLADVANTAGE Privacy Concern

[derek () INFINET COM (Derek Reynolds)]

A peer of mine just received this message from AllAdvantage (see
below).  He identified to me that he was using the older version of AllAdvantage
and had since updated to the new version of the AllAdvantage Bar.

Since the introduction to this service there have been many "hacks" to
simulate web surfing. Most of these hack programs goto specific sites
and such move the mouse around as if a user was actually surfing the
web.

I am assuming AllAdvantage wanted to track down their cheaters by
monitering the users web sites they goto and if they meet a certain
sequence order that the "AllAdvantage Hack Programs" used it would
automatically notify the AllAdvantage team that the user was indeed
cheating the system.

If they can monitor web access, what else are they monitoring?  Are
they gathering valuable marketing information from each and every All
Advantage user?  It wasn't until my Peer installed the new AllAdvantage
Bar that they caught him.

Of course cheating is wrong but so is recording web browsing habits
among other things, sending the details to their people to analyze.

I am sure that AllAdvantage wants to leverage direct marketing by
detecting what sites people goto and rightfully showing them an
appropriate ad.

Anyone got a good network analyzer who wants to extract what data is
sent to/from the AllAdvantage client?

-Derek

--------FORWARDED MESSAGE---------
From: AllAdvantage.com <abusesupport () alladvantage com>
Date: Wednesday, March 01, 2000, 1:13:24 AM
Subject: ALLADVANTAGE.COM ACCOUNT HAS BEEN SUSPENDED - FRAUD

Dear AllAdvantage Member,

AllAdvantage.com's Community Protection Group is
contacting you about membership violations related to
your AllAdvantage.com account. Specifically, we have
detected the use of a software program or another
technique to fraudulently simulate active surfing with
our Viewbar(tm) service.

AllAdvantage.com seeks to work with its members to
resolve problems in a positive way, so we are willing
to assume that you might not have realized the
seriousness of your actions. However, this is a VERY
serious matter. The use of such a technique is
fraudulent, and we are unable to pay you any balance
you may have accumulated in your AllAdvantage.com
account. Also, since our policy is to immediately
freeze or terminate any accounts using "cheater"
programs, your account with AllAdvantage.com has been
suspended, pending termination.

This action complies with the terms of our membership
agreement, which we excerpt below:

        "Termination of Accounts. To the full extent
        allowed by applicable law, AllAdvantage at its
        sole discretion and for any or no reason may
        refuse to accept applications for membership
        and may terminate any Members without prior
        notice for...(b) aiding in or promoting
        circumvention of the Viewbar Service; (c)
        acting against the business interests or
        reputation of AllAdvantage"

Please take a few moments to review the Membership
Agreement at
http://www.alladvantage.com/member_agreement.asp. Having
done so, please reply to this message to let us know that
you've reviewed the materials and understand your
responsibilities. Include your Member ID and the words
"Warning: Fraud" in the subject line.

Your account will remain suspended until your reply is
received and evaluated.

In addition, should we ever detect fraudulent activity
associated with your account again, we will terminate
your account without warning.

Sincerely,

AllAdvantage.com
Community Protection Group
abusesupport () alladvantage com