A recent article taken from NewsFactor.com about the trouble between consumers wanting online privacy and the companies that are not giving it.
Some executives are surprised at the recent stir caused by consumers, especially the same consumers who seemed willing to share private information via social networking sites. Many of these consumers are now filing lawsuits against these companies and are speaking out against having their web habits tracked. The biggest culprit seems to be Sears Holding Co (Sears and Kmart), which has been supposedly been violating the privacy of users on their site. To join the community you must download a software which tracks your purchases and other such activities, something which is not clearly explained when most users download the program. Sears Holding has been accused of exposing customers to the possibility of identity-theft since all users are searchable and anyone can view their history.
Consumers have openly complained recently because some sites have begun sending information to a user's friends (such as on Facebook or MySpace), but never took to the cause when ads were appearing after a user searched something (after going on Kelley's Blue Book and car ads appeared....it must have been magic!).
The big surprise to web execs is that consumers expect big companies to be in control of online privacy and security, but take little control themselves and feel that the big companies are out to harm the consumers.
I have an idea....It might be a little crazy but it should work. PROTECT YOURSELF ONLINE AND DON'T RELY ON SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is an amazing number of threats to privacy and security out there. Expecting someone else to protect you is very naive. Use a proxy, delete or hide your history, never give out personal information...and the list goes on. You can find a good FAQ section here which will give some advice about protecting yourself online.
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