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Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

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Re: Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

#11
post #8
post #5

So I have read this report, but it would be good if there were some example URLs of where this is happening. Take for instance Lambeth's website ( https://www.lambeth.gov.uk ). I've browsed through a few public facing pages and the council tax payment pages. The report says Lambeth shows 1 real time bidding, 1 social and 5 Google "trackers". From my network requests I see: -> Google Translate and its resources (CSS e…

What’s PB?

Privacy Badger?

Re: Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

#12
post #8
post #5

So I have read this report, but it would be good if there were some example URLs of where this is happening. Take for instance Lambeth's website ( https://www.lambeth.gov.uk ). I've browsed through a few public facing pages and the council tax payment pages. The report says Lambeth shows 1 real time bidding, 1 social and 5 Google "trackers". From my network requests I see: -> Google Translate and its resources (CSS e…

What’s PB?

Privacy Badger

https://www.eff.org/privacybadger

Re: Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

#13
post #8
post #5

So I have read this report, but it would be good if there were some example URLs of where this is happening. Take for instance Lambeth's website ( https://www.lambeth.gov.uk ). I've browsed through a few public facing pages and the council tax payment pages. The report says Lambeth shows 1 real time bidding, 1 social and 5 Google "trackers". From my network requests I see: -> Google Translate and its resources (CSS e…

What’s PB?

Apologies - Privacy Badger

Re: Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

#14
post #6

Invisible trackers aside, it's simply gross that local government sites have banner ads on them. Have some pride and/or taste!

Especially since they are publicly funded, so UK citizens are paying to have their data transmitted to unknown parties and advertised at. Oh, and if you don't pay it? Fuck you. The government will send bailiffs to seize your property to pay the bill, or imprison you for up to 3 months.

Re: Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

#15
It's quite likely a contracted web developer is using a "free" library that had these trackers built into it.

It's also possible this is corruption, as it's a question of where the revenue from that data was going. If it's going to some web developer's account that's a problem.

The RTB aspect of this story makes it clearly disingenuous, but getting interaction data to improve services is something you would expect a progressive public service to do. Crying wolf on this could do a lot more harm than good to the risk averse cultures of public services. I hope they've got the story right.

Re: Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

#16
post #5

So I have read this report, but it would be good if there were some example URLs of where this is happening. Take for instance Lambeth's website ( https://www.lambeth.gov.uk ). I've browsed through a few public facing pages and the council tax payment pages. The report says Lambeth shows 1 real time bidding, 1 social and 5 Google "trackers". From my network requests I see: -> Google Translate and its resources (CSS e…

Your comment was making sense until you started comparing a council website with a marketing product (Brave.com).

Re: Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

#17
post #5

So I have read this report, but it would be good if there were some example URLs of where this is happening. Take for instance Lambeth's website ( https://www.lambeth.gov.uk ). I've browsed through a few public facing pages and the council tax payment pages. The report says Lambeth shows 1 real time bidding, 1 social and 5 Google "trackers". From my network requests I see: -> Google Translate and its resources (CSS e…

Privacy Badger says that "Yellow" sites where it blocks cookies do appear to be trying to track you, but are necessary for the site to work[1]. That makes 5 trackers PB has identified on Lambeth's website.

[1] https://www.eff.org/privacybadger/faq#What-do-the-red,-yello...

Re: Surveillance on UK council websites [pdf]

#19
post #16
post #5

So I have read this report, but it would be good if there were some example URLs of where this is happening. Take for instance Lambeth's website ( https://www.lambeth.gov.uk ). I've browsed through a few public facing pages and the council tax payment pages. The report says Lambeth shows 1 real time bidding, 1 social and 5 Google "trackers". From my network requests I see: -> Google Translate and its resources (CSS e…

Your comment was making sense until you started comparing a council website with a marketing product (Brave.com).

It doesn't invalidate what I've found though? Also Brave themselves market as being privacy friendly, blocking ads and trackers etc... is it not fair to judge them as well if they are reporting this as egregious?
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