The user is a rapidly evolving creature being defined by possibility.

opinions from the head lemur

[Posted] March 04, 2000

Double Click Opts Out

I recently wrote an article for A List Apart ' Click Thru is Evil II, where I described DoubleClick's methods as the Poison Cookie.

DoubleClick's banner ads now contain cookies which record information about your visits to sites served by them. With the acquisition of Abacus Direct, a direct mail firm, whose database of Catalog shopping records can be tied to your surfing as you move from site to site ... well, your privacy is out the window.

Because if you believe that they won't sell this information to any and everyone with the price of admission, you'd best turn your computer off right now and donate it to the charity of your choice.

I have no reason based on your statements to change my opinion.

Your position is the assumption if you throw enough stuff on my screen something will stick and I will Click.

In a statement issued March 2, Kevin O'Connor, CEO of Doubleclick said;

"Over the past few weeks, DoubleClick has been at the center of the Internet privacy controversy. During this time, we have met and listened to hundreds of consumers, privacy advocates, customers, government officials and industry leaders about these issues. The overwhelming point of contention has been under what circumstances names can be associated with anonymous user activity across Web sites."

Problem 1. anonymous user activity.
With the Help Of the folks at Merriam WWWebster here is a definition of anonymous:

Main Entry: anon·y·mous
Pronunciation: &-'nä-n&-m&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin anonymus, from Greek anOnymos, from a- + onyma name -- more at NAME
Date: 1631
1 : not named or identified <an anonymous author> <they wish to remain anonymous>
2 : of unknown authorship or origin <an anonymous tip>
3 : lacking individuality, distinction, or recognizability <the anonymous faces in the crowd> <the gray anonymous streets -- William Styron>

Source: Merriam WWWebster Dictionary

If I wanted to tell you who I was, what my Sunsign was, my interests and desires, whatever they might be, I would go to Your website and tell You.

Here are the circumstances under which people may want to share information

Circumstances under which I May share Personal Information

I will be the First to know when I make a decision to share my personal information.

The website I choose to share this information with will be the Second to know.

Visitors to my website will be the Third to know

The Executors of my Estate will be the Fourth to know

You will be the last to know.

If I gather enough support you will NEVER know

Next he said:

"Let me be clear: DoubleClick has not implemented this plan, and has never associated names, or any other personally identifiable information, with anonymous user activity across Web sites."

Problem 2. Implementation
You would be wise to abandon this plan.

Then he said,

"We commit today, that until there is agreement between government and industry on privacy standards, we will not link personally identifiable information to anonymous user activity across Web sites."

Problem 3. Linkage
This one is easy! Stop Collecting It! If you are a company managing and serving banner ads, that is all you really need to do.

Then he said,

"It is clear from these discussions that I made a mistake by planning to merge names with anonymous user activity across Web sites in the absence of government and industry privacy standards."

Problem 4. Leadership
Your recognition of the adverse impact this plan has caused not only on the web, on your stock price, your customers discomfort and the amazing amount of negative publicity this "plan "has created, hopefully will cause you to abandon for all time such a plan. But, remember you are just an advertiser. You do with pixels what your Abacus Direct does with mailboxes. They really are Separate Businesses.

Here are what your competitors are up to.

ClickHouse Privacy Statement

Orb Digital's Soon to Be CLASSIC Ad!!

References

What DoubleClick really gets from you
Click Thru is Evil II
DoubleClick Opt Out

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