Imagine you went to a restaurant with a date; had a burger, paid with a credit card, and left.
Imagine
you
went
to
a
restaurant
with
a
date
;
had
a
burger
,
paid
with
a
credit
card
,
and
left
.
The next time you go there, the waiter or waitress, armed with your profile data, greets you with, "Hey Joe, how are you?
The
next
time
you
go
there
,
the
waiter
or
waitress
,
armed
with
your
profile
data
,
greets
you
with
,
``
Hey
Joe
,
how
are
you
?
Mary is over there in the seat you sat in last time.
Mary
is
over
there
in
the
seat
you
sat
in
last
time
.
Would you like to join her for dinner again?"
Would
you
like
to
join
her
for
dinner
again
?
''
Then you find out that your burger has been cooked and your drink is on the table.
Then
you
find
out
that
your
burger
has
been
cooked
and
your
drink
is
on
the
table
.
Forget the fact that you are with another date and are on a diet that doesn't include burgers.
Forget
the
fact
that
you
are
with
another
date
and
are
on
a
diet
that
does
n't
include
burgers
.
Sound a little bizarre?
Sound
a
little
bizarre
?
To some, this is restaurant equivalent of the Internet.
To
some
,
this
is
restaurant
equivalent
of
the
Internet
.
The Net's ability to profile you through your visits to and interactions at websites provides marketers with an enormous amount of data on you - some of which you may not want them to have.
The
Net
's
ability
to
profile
you
through
your
visits
to
and
interactions
at
websites
provides
marketers
with
an
enormous
amount
of
data
on
you
-
some
of
which
you
may
not
want
them
to
have
.
Are you aware that almost every time you access a website you get a "cookie"?
Are
you
aware
that
almost
every
time
you
access
a
website
you
get
a
``
cookie
''
?
Unfortunately, it's not the Mrs. Reid's type.
Unfortunately
,
it
's
not
the
Mrs.
Reid
's
type
.
A cookie on the Internet is a computer code sent by the site to your computer - usually without your knowledge.
A
cookie
on
the
Internet
is
a
computer
code
sent
by
the
site
to
your
computer
-
usually
without
your
knowledge
.
During the entire period of time that you are at the site, the cookie is collecting information about your interaction, including where you visit, how long you stay there, how frequently you return to certain pages, and even your electronic address.
During
the
entire
period
of
time
that
you
are
at
the
site
,
the
cookie
is
collecting
information
about
your
interaction
,
including
where
you
visit
,
how
long
you
stay
there
,
how
frequently
you
return
to
certain
pages
,
and
even
your
electronic
address
.
Fill out a survey to collect free information or samples, and marketers know even more about you - like your name, address, and any other information you provide.
Fill
out
a
survey
to
collect
free
information
or
samples
,
and
marketers
know
even
more
about
you
-
like
your
name
,
address
,
and
any
other
information
you
provide
.
While this may sound scary enough, cookies aren't even the latest in technology.
While
this
may
sound
scary
enough
,
cookies
are
n't
even
the
latest
in
technology
.
A new system called I-librarian Alexa - named for the legendary third century B. C. library in Alexandria, Egypt - does even more.
A
new
system
called
I-librarian
Alexa
-
named
for
the
legendary
third
century
B.
C.
library
in
Alexandria
,
Egypt
-
does
even
more
.
While cookies track what you are doing at one site, Alexa collects data on all your Web activity, such as which sites you visit next, how long you stay there, whether you click on ads, etc.
While
cookies
track
what
you
are
doing
at
one
site
,
Alexa
collects
data
on
all
your
Web
activity
,
such
as
which
sites
you
visit
next
,
how
long
you
stay
there
,
whether
you
click
on
ads
,
etc
.
All this information is available to marketers, who use it to market more effectively to you.
All
this
information
is
available
to
marketers
,
who
use
it
to
market
more
effectively
to
you
.
Not only do you not get paid for providing the information, you probably don't even know that you are giving it.
Not
only
do
you
not
get
paid
for
providing
the
information
,
you
probably
do
n't
even
know
that
you
are
giving
it
.
Imagine you went to a restaurant with a date; had a burger, paid with a credit card, and left. The next time you go there, the waiter or waitress, armed with your profile data, greets you with, "Hey Joe, how are you? Mary is over there in the seat you sat in last time. Would you like to join her for dinner again?" Then you find out that your burger has been cooked and your drink is on the table. Forget the fact that you are with another date and are on a diet that doesn't include burgers. Sound a little bizarre? To some, this is restaurant equivalent of the Internet. The Net's ability to profile you through your visits to and interactions at websites provides marketers with an enormous amount of data on you - some of which you may not want them to have.  Are you aware that almost every time you access a website you get a "cookie"? Unfortunately, it's not the Mrs. Reid's type. A cookie on the Internet is a computer code sent by the site to your computer - usually without your knowledge. During the entire period of time that you are at the site, the cookie is collecting information about your interaction, including where you visit, how long you stay there, how frequently you return to certain pages, and even your electronic address. Fill out a survey to collect free information or samples, and marketers know even more about you - like your name, address, and any other information you provide. While this may sound scary enough, cookies aren't even the latest in technology. A new system called I-librarian Alexa - named for the legendary third century B. C. library in Alexandria, Egypt - does even more. While cookies track what you are doing at one site, Alexa collects data on all your Web activity, such as which sites you visit next, how long you stay there, whether you click on ads, etc. All this information is available to marketers, who use it to market more effectively to you. Not only do you not get paid for providing the information, you probably don't even know that you are giving it.