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Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

theguardian.com

41–50 of 208 posts

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#41
post #9

That's not all. In NY state, they ruled that can artist can take pictures of you in your home through your windows: https://fstoppers.com/photojournalistic/supreme-court-rules-...

I don't see any problem with that.

It's not like people should have exclusivity over who has access to the photons that hit them...

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#42

I have a few questions. 1) “Facebook’s intrusion could have easily been blocked, but plaintiffs chose not to do so,” This seems like a dangerous precedent. So if we can block surveillance attempts and we don't try, then it's our fault? > “The fact that a user’s web browser automatically sends the same information to both parties does not establish that one party intercepted the user’s communication with the other,” T…

The most interesting thing to me about "Facebook's intrusion could have easily been blocked, but plaintiffs chose not to do so," is that it implies that users have a right to block tracking code. If that isn't already enshrined in case law, hopefully it signals that we will not get laws passed requiring users to allow tracking, and the courts will hopefully invalidate terms and conditions requiring tracking. Having l…

> Having lived through the rise of DMCA, I live in fear of an emboldened industry getting laws passed that make the use and distribution of blocking software illegal.

The day that happens I'm joining the dark side.

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#43
post #30
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't opening several "Private Windows" achieve the same situation? What are the differences?

Several private windows share the cookies. Try logging into a website in a private window and open that website in another private window and you will be logged in.

What about separate Chrome profiles?

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#44
post #29
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't opening several "Private Windows" achieve the same situation? What are the differences?

I don't think so: I'm currently logged in on HN. When I open a new private window, I'm logged in as well. This is really annoying when you always use your web browser in private mode, but don't close it regularly. It means that e.g. youtube already builds a profile about me from my previous searches even though I'm not logged in. If I were that concerned I would close Firefox, but the usability issue is just too big…

> When I open a new private window, I'm logged in as well.

Not in firefox, or, at least not for me.

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think browser fingerprints are quite a reliable way of tracking. https://amiunique.org/fp

Sure, 'quite reliable' beats 'unique' every time!

You can get unique through things other than cookies. Like abusing ETAGS/If-Modified-Since.

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#46
post #15

Firefox has a pretty neat feature I discovered recently: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Security/Contextual_Identity_Projec... It lets you run multiple sessions in one window, where each tab belongs to a specific session with separated cookies and such. I've got a bunch of tabs where I'm logged in to Facebook, another set where I'm logged in to Google and the rest of them where I'm not logged in to either. Of course they c…

Helpful. But I'm pretty sure their ability to track is more sophisticated than that. Per Chaos Monkeys, and I'm sure its gotten better since.

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#47
post #29
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't opening several "Private Windows" achieve the same situation? What are the differences?

I don't think so: I'm currently logged in on HN. When I open a new private window, I'm logged in as well. This is really annoying when you always use your web browser in private mode, but don't close it regularly. It means that e.g. youtube already builds a profile about me from my previous searches even though I'm not logged in. If I were that concerned I would close Firefox, but the usability issue is just too big…

FWIW, Chrome has the ability to do multi-user. So I have different users for different accounts. I know that's not perfect but it does more or less force me to close and reopen. PITA but worth having nearly defined browser silos.

And in a VPN and I think you get at least some chance at some privacy. Hopefully.

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not just quit Facebook?

For me, the reason is "Because there are people on Facebook that I want to communicate with".

That's true for me, too. But I can communicate with those people via other means and have found no downside to doing so. I've been Facebook- free for years now.

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#49

Nice, if i don't lock my door, its my fault they steal my things.

That is the insurance industry's standard. Which makes bump keys a bit more dangerous, since they don't leave the usual marks indicating your lock was picked. And if you door wasn't locked, the insurance industry won't pay out for losses.

Re: Facebook can track your browsing even after you've logged out, judge says

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me, the reason is "Because there are people on Facebook that I want to communicate with".

That's true for me, too. But I can communicate with those people via other means and have found no downside to doing so. I've been Facebook- free for years now.

Preaching to the choir, it's our friends who need convincing!
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