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Blocking google adversizing, twitter, fecebook using hosts-fileentries



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 16th 14, 04:07 PM posted to microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,alt.windows98,alt.comp.os.windows-98
98 Guy[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 128
Default Blocking google adversizing, twitter, fecebook using hosts-fileentries

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

but ghostery is a better way


I disagree.

========
Ghostery blocks HTTP requests and redirects according to their source
address in two ways: Cookie Blocking and Cookie Protection (where
available). When Cookie Protection is enabled, if a cookie is selected
from Ghostery's list, it is not accessible to anyone but the user and
thus unable to be read when called upon.

Originally developed by David Cancel, Ghostery was acquired by the
privacy technology company Evidon in January 2010. Currently, through
the use of a reporting function named "GhostRank" that users can opt
into, Ghostery provides reports to Evidon about advertisers and data
collectors, which Evidon then provides to advertising industry groups
including the Better Business Bureau and the Direct Marketing
Association, parts of the Digital Advertising Alliance. These agencies
then use those reports to monitor how Online Behavioral Advertisers
operate and, when needed, refer them to the Federal Trade Commission.

Criticism

Some sources say that Evidon, the company owning Ghostery, plays a dual
role in the online advertising industry. Ghostery blocks sites from
gathering personal information. But it does have an opt-in feature named
GhostRank that can be checked to "support" them. GhostRank takes note of
ads encountered and blocked, and sends that information, though
anonymously, back to advertisers so they can better formulate their ads
to avoid being blocked.

Thus, not everyone sees Evidon's business model as conflict-free.
"Evidon has a financial incentive to encourage the program's adoption
and discourage alternatives like Do Not Track and cookie blocking as
well as to maintain positive relationships with intrusive advertising
companies", says Jonathan Mayer, a Stanford grad student and privacy
advocate.

Tom Simonite of Technology Review explains that with the "Ghostrank"
feature enabled Ghostery sends collected user data back to the vendor,
who then offers it for sale to ad firms.[5] This is also reflected in
the German branch of the magazine.[6] Consequently, the German computer
magazine Chip comes to the conclusion to not recommend installing the
software and suggests NoScript as a (partial) alternative.
========

I don't see how simply meddling with cookie access that ghostery
actually prevents your browser from contacting all manner of "nuisance"
hosts (ad-serving, click-tracking, beacons and other web-metrics, etc).
  #2  
Old February 19th 14, 01:25 AM posted to microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,alt.windows98,alt.comp.os.windows-98
J. P. Gilliver (John)
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 1,554
Default Blocking google adversizing, twitter, fecebook using hosts-file entries

In message , 98 Guy writes:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

but ghostery is a better way


I disagree.

I suppose I used a shorthand (unless there's something else I said that
you've snipped, and I don't think you did). By "better" I meant "easier"
- which certainly isn't by any means always better!
[]
privacy technology company Evidon in January 2010. Currently, through
the use of a reporting function named "GhostRank" that users can opt
into, Ghostery provides reports to Evidon about advertisers and data


Though there is no obligation to opt into it. (I can't remember whether
the default, as installed, is to opt in or out.)

collectors, which Evidon then provides to advertising industry groups
including the Better Business Bureau and the Direct Marketing
Association, parts of the Digital Advertising Alliance. These agencies
then use those reports to monitor how Online Behavioral Advertisers
operate and, when needed, refer them to the Federal Trade Commission.

Criticism

Some sources say that Evidon, the company owning Ghostery, plays a dual
role in the online advertising industry. Ghostery blocks sites from
gathering personal information. But it does have an opt-in feature named
GhostRank that can be checked to "support" them. GhostRank takes note of
ads encountered and blocked, and sends that information, though
anonymously, back to advertisers so they can better formulate their ads
to avoid being blocked.


That does sound plausible.

Thus, not everyone sees Evidon's business model as conflict-free.

[]
Tom Simonite of Technology Review explains that with the "Ghostrank"
feature enabled Ghostery sends collected user data back to the vendor,
who then offers it for sale to ad firms.[5] This is also reflected in
the German branch of the magazine.[6] Consequently, the German computer
magazine Chip comes to the conclusion to not recommend installing the


I think that's a bit of an over-reaction: they could recommend not
enabling (or disabling, whatever) GhostRank, certainly.

software and suggests NoScript as a (partial) alternative.


Very partial. Also, I prefer YesScript; YMMV.
========

I don't see how simply meddling with cookie access that ghostery
actually prevents your browser from contacting all manner of "nuisance"
hosts (ad-serving, click-tracking, beacons and other web-metrics, etc).


Well, I have the _feeling_ that since installing it, I've had better ...
not sure what. I do appreciate that some of this may be placebo effect.

I don't think it _only_ does it by "meddling with cookie access"; I
think it also prevents the contacting of sites. Certainly, when I go to
a web page, it gives me a list of third party somethings which are
linked from that page, and shows which ones in that list are blocked; I
can choose to have it block all from a list (or several) which I presume
it downloads periodically, or to maintain a blocklist myself: I choose
to do the latter, and add new "trackers" and "widgets" as I encounter
them (which means those sites get one contact and one only from me).

Have you actually tried it (with GhostRank turned off if you wish)?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

My daughter is appalled by it at all times, but you know you have to appal
your 14-year-old daughter otherwise you're not doing your job as a father. -
Richard Osman to Alison Graham, in Radio Times 2013-6-8 to 14
 




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