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Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

noiszy.com

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Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#121

Post by troyvit »

noiszytech wrote: post #112
watty wrote: post #51

It's kind of funny their website includes TypeKit, SquareSpace, and Google Tag Manager scripts - all of which can (and probably are) tracking various things. They may not be connected to "you", may be anonymized, may be unique number representing you.

Hi - Noiszy creator here. You're right about the scripts - we're using GTM and Google Analytics. I think it's 100% legit for sites (like mine) to want to know how much traffic they're getting - this to me is a good use of data. I work in the analytics field and actually I love data - I just don't like AI using data in creepy ways. The thing is, there is a big moral grey area between "count visits" and "creepy targeti…

Check out Piwik (https://piwik.org/)! It'll do what you need but the data at least stays on your server.

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#122

Post by _wmd »

guelo wrote: post #119
_wmd wrote: post #59

There have been a few of these plugins floating around recently, and really everything that needs said about them appears in the comments already. Fake traffic is wasteful, hard to make look authentic, and only serves to create more records of the end user around the web rather than less (e.g. your laptop IP was generating fake traffic? That probably means you had the lid open and were doing something with it at that…

That would be a cache of what's popular. That would actually help on the surveillance side because it would effectively be a filter of the common traffic allowing them to focus on your unique traffic.

That's an excellent point!

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#123

Post by novaleaf »

_wmd wrote: post #59

There have been a few of these plugins floating around recently, and really everything that needs said about them appears in the comments already. Fake traffic is wasteful, hard to make look authentic, and only serves to create more records of the end user around the web rather than less (e.g. your laptop IP was generating fake traffic? That probably means you had the lid open and were doing something with it at that…

I didn't get it for the purpose at the time, but my PrivateInternetAccess (PIA) account seems to be getting more useful because of this.

unfortunately a lot of abuse is performed via PIA so some sites (especially financial and forums) block PIA ip's.

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#124

Post by literallycancer »

always_good wrote: post #83
literallycancer wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://adnauseam.io/ I wasn't convinced it was very useful and thought it would only take some easy heuristics to filter out when I first saw it, but if Google removed it from the store, it must have been a pain to deal with. Maybe I'll even end up using it.

This website reminds me of the KenM post where he suggests that he's getting back at Papa Johns by not tipping the pizza delivery driver. Generating click fraud on your favorite web comic's website or other small websites you may be visiting is pretty sad. Adsense bans for life.

I don't read webcomics, and somehow I don't think people like gwern who write long-form content do it for the ad revenue. And even if there are ads on the website, if they respect the DNT header, AdNauseam won't auto-click them.

(I'm not sure what the tipping anecdote is supposed to mean, but I don't understand why US customers put up with tipping either, the business is responsible for it's operating budget, and there is no legitimate reason to bother the customer with it.)

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#125

Post by Ajedi32 »

literallycancer wrote: post #70
sneak wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you have specific privacy complaints about Chrome, spill it. Content-free finger pointing like this isn't constructive.

Here's one: why isn't there a feature to export settings without using a Google account?

Bookmarks can be exported via the Bookmarks Manager, and all other Chrome-specific data you can just copy from `%LOCALAPPDATA%/Google/Chrome/User Data`.

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#126

Post by noiszytech »

Animats wrote: post #102

It generates meaningless tracking data by doing meaningless browsing automatically. So it sucks bandwidth. That's not a good solution. Returning fake responses to tracking cookies is more efficient. For phones, returning bogus info to app requests for contact lists and location is especially effective.

It does suck some bandwidth - and your point is well taken, that would be a great technique too. It loads about one new page per minute, so it shouldn't be a crazy amount (unless pages contain video, for example). The thing is, anything less than visiting from your own browser on your own machine and doing user-like things (like waiting and then clicking again) is easily filter-out-able for most tracking tools. The idea here is to purposefully associate the "noise" with your online footprint.

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#127

Post by noiszytech »

marvinkennis wrote: post #92

I created something similar yesterday afternoon [0]. Instead of opening a new tab, it just requests pages through a hidden iFrame and drops the headers so the request goes through. It doesn't click on anything, because it would be awkward if this by chance started sharing things on logged-in Facebook profiles etc. I plan on adding sequential requests over the weekend so the traffic is more realistic. It's open source…

Cool! I really think this is a "the more the merrier" space. More tools = good.

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#128

Post by troyvit »

Animats wrote: post #102

It generates meaningless tracking data by doing meaningless browsing automatically. So it sucks bandwidth. That's not a good solution. Returning fake responses to tracking cookies is more efficient. For phones, returning bogus info to app requests for contact lists and location is especially effective.

This begs a question: how do ISPs collect this data? I thought it was intercepting and analyzing http requests as they come from the cable modem. Are you saying that rather it's at the browser level? If so how do they control that?

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#129

Post by noiszytech »

watty wrote: post #116
noiszytech wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi - Noiszy creator here. You're right about the scripts - we're using GTM and Google Analytics. I think it's 100% legit for sites (like mine) to want to know how much traffic they're getting - this to me is a good use of data. I work in the analytics field and actually I love data - I just don't like AI using data in creepy ways. The thing is, there is a big moral grey area between "count visits" and "creepy targeti…

I get it. Everyone, everywhere, is collecting data - whether it's CNN.com or Noiszy.com or Google Analytics. While you may be using Google Analytics for basic tracking of anonymous visitors, Google may be using it for "creepy targeting based on everything you do". I'm really not opinionated (I think the plugin is interesting and am completely ok with being tracked) I just found it a bit hypocritical to create a produ…

I think of it as a product to deter AI processing of your data, not a product against data itself. I, too, am ok with being tracked - but being ok with data collection =/= blanket approval of all data processing & use.

Thanks for raising this point.

Re: Noiszy – A Chrome plugin that creates meaningless web tracking data

#130

Post by thrill »

literallycancer wrote: post #124
always_good wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This website reminds me of the KenM post where he suggests that he's getting back at Papa Johns by not tipping the pizza delivery driver. Generating click fraud on your favorite web comic's website or other small websites you may be visiting is pretty sad. Adsense bans for life.

I don't read webcomics, and somehow I don't think people like gwern who write long-form content do it for the ad revenue. And even if there are ads on the website, if they respect the DNT header, AdNauseam won't auto-click them. (I'm not sure what the tipping anecdote is supposed to mean, but I don't understand why US customers put up with tipping either, the business is responsible for it's operating budget, and the…

How do you determine if a server is respecting a DNT header?
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