UK ISPs to track websites visited (67)

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22 Mar 08, 6:18 PM
Sir_Simo
UK, 11 mths
Y!
EroticNightmares wrote:
I don't know if its been said already, but I'll repeat it if it has
You can gain additional security by using three bits of software
1) Privoxy 2) Tor 3) Firefox w/ Flashblock
Privoxy is a filtering proxy that you run locally on your machine and feed it sets of rules that prevent stuff being rendered. For example my config file is set up so I hardly see any ads at all, I even have google ads filtered.
Tor is an anonymous network run by enthusiasts. This means that information about your web browsing is seen only as 'Tor' traffic, the entry and exit points (the website, for example) get lost. Tor is run by volunteers and it is considered bad manners to transfer large volumes of data (as you can imagine, most Tor traffic is porn!)
Flashblock plugin for Firefox is a godsend. Replaces all flash elements on a website with a box with an F in the middle. If you want to see it (like YouTube for example) then you simply click on the F and it will play, this way you get to know what parts of the site are adverts and you never get to see em
For the novice user, I can appreciate these steps might be a little daunting and maybe over paranoid. The internet on my machine is generally ad and crap free (I use the net on my sister's machine and forget exactly HOW many ads there are!)
Anyway, apologies for the waffle. Hope its useful to someone!
The ad blockers you are using Privoxy and Flashblock are fair enough. Tor though is only good for making yourself anonymous to the website or server you are connecting to. It will have no effect on the tracking that the ISP intends to implement. It goes something along the lines of this: Your PC --> your ISP --> the website you are connecting to. Using Tor will go something along the lines of: Your PC --> Your ISP --> Tor --> the website you are connecting to. The main problem with all of these anonymisers is that you connect directly to your ISP before the traffic goes anywhere. So in effect using an anonymiser is not hiding anything from your ISP as such. Though it will hide you from the website you are connecting to. In this case of tracking based advertising anonymisers have little if no effect at all as the tracking is all done at your ISP. Even if you use a proxy to connect to other websites, the traffic still goes through your ISP.
You teach best what you most need to learn - Richard Bach
Contrary to popular belief, IT people ARE organic

22 Mar 08, 6:20 PM
kisses_for_me
UK(IP), 2 yrs
Y!

EroticNightmares wrote:
1) Privoxy
Will stop you seeing the ads, but not stop your usage being tracked or the ads being served to you.
2) Tor
Is of some use in this instance, but by no means as secure as is claimed.
3) Firefox w/ Flashblock
Does nothing for Phorm, it merely stops flash autoplaying.
It's easy to tell the difference between right and wrong. What's hard is choosing the wrong that's more right.
I tend to be suspicious of all true believers. Present company included.
Elise Kraft, The Siege.

22 Mar 08, 7:05 PM
EroticNightmares
UK(BN), 22 mths

Aye, I know there is no way of bypassing your ISP, its more muddying the waters so to speak.

10 Apr 08, 9:38 PM
Sirebel
UK(N), 24 mths

In case anyone missed it, the ICO published a statement about Phorm on Tuesday. It clearly states that Phorm must offer an opt-in not an opt-out process but otherwise is reasonably happy about the software.
It also explains why I couldn't find the ruling about opt-in rather than opt-out. I was looking in the Data Protection Act 1998 and not the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. See Regulation 7 if anyone is interested in the exact wording.
Ad Quod Damnum

8 Aug 08, 11:10 PM
kisses_for_me
UK(IP), 2 yrs
Y!
^ WTF?????
It's easy to tell the difference between right and wrong. What's hard is choosing the wrong that's more right.
I tend to be suspicious of all true believers. Present company included.
Elise Kraft, The Siege.

8 Aug 08, 11:11 PM
whisperkit
UK, 2 yrs

Sir_Simo wrote:

EroticNightmares wrote:
I don't know if its been said already, but I'll repeat it if it has
You can gain additional security by using three bits of software
1) Privoxy 2) Tor 3) Firefox w/ Flashblock
Privoxy is a filtering proxy that you run locally on your machine and feed it sets of rules that prevent stuff being rendered. For example my config file is set up so I hardly see any ads at all, I even have google ads filtered.
Tor is an anonymous network run by enthusiasts. This means that information about your web browsing is seen only as 'Tor' traffic, the entry and exit points (the website, for example) get lost. Tor is run by volunteers and it is considered bad manners to transfer large volumes of data (as you can imagine, most Tor traffic is porn!)
Flashblock plugin for Firefox is a godsend. Replaces all flash elements on a website with a box with an F in the middle. If you want to see it (like YouTube for example) then you simply click on the F and it will play, this way you get to know what parts of the site are adverts and you never get to see em
For the novice user, I can appreciate these steps might be a little daunting and maybe over paranoid. The internet on my machine is generally ad and crap free (I use the net on my sister's machine and forget exactly HOW many ads there are!)
Anyway, apologies for the waffle. Hope its useful to someone!
The ad blockers you are using Privoxy and Flashblock are fair enough. Tor though is only good for making yourself anonymous to the website or server you are connecting to. It will have no effect on the tracking that the ISP intends to implement. It goes something along the lines of this: Your PC --> your ISP --> the website you are connecting to. Using Tor will go something along the lines of: Your PC --> Your ISP --> Tor --> the website you are connecting to. The main problem with all of these anonymisers is that you connect directly to your ISP before the traffic goes anywhere. So in effect using an anonymiser is not hiding anything from your ISP as such. Though it will hide you from the website you are connecting to. In this case of tracking based advertising anonymisers have little if no effect at all as the tracking is all done at your ISP. Even if you use a proxy to connect to other websites, the traffic still goes through your ISP.

Ah, but if you encode the data, then your ISP can't see what you're sending.
I'm not sure if Tor has that feature, but I know it's common in general proxies.

9 Aug 08, 5:52 PM
TheTroll
6 mths
I was reading a blog today, not on IC, where it was mentioned that now instead of getting page unavailable redirect errors, browsers will be redirected to actual sites, conveniently enough the sites of the ISP in question or to companies who have paid for advertising.
I've heard the ISP redirect thing before, but the redriected advertising sounds a bit far fetched.


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