"Collusion for Chrome" track the trackers.

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ZoneV

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Came across this fascinating little app a couple of days ago, free on the Chrome Webstore.

http://gizmodo.com/5902855/collusion-for-chrome-reveals-whos-spying-on-your-surfing

Thousands of companies and organizations secretly collect your personal data when you use the web, creating a shadow web of connections between sites you go to and trackers you probably never heard of. Collusion for Chrome graphs the spread of your data from sites to trackers, in real time, to expose these hidden connections.
Click to expand...

It shows all sites the data is passed to in a pretty little visual "map", and automatically blocks known tracking sites (therefore no ads appear (y)).

So far it's showing TP as linked to two flagged (and now blocked) tracking sites (skimresourcesdotcom & googlesyndicationdotcom) and two others (yahooapisdotcom and googleanalyticsdotcom). :cautious:

Where's my tinfoil hat? :LOL:
 
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Doesn't appear to be an option for that TBH.

I really don't get this big fear of someone knowing your browsing habits. If someone can find a way of targeting me with the cheapest camera shops because I frequent camera forums, surely that's a good thing - or am I missing something?
 
arad85 said:
Doesn't appear to be an option for that TBH.
Click to expand...

sorry i dont necessarily mean within that software.

I really don't get this big fear of someone knowing your browsing habits. If someone can find a way of targeting me with the cheapest camera shops because I frequent camera forums, surely that's a good thing - or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

to be honest me neither, i dont care if someone knows i spend X hours a day on here, X on facebook and X looking at boobies.. :cautious:

this whole cookies thing is a pain in the arse too, who else is annoyed already at the amount of "do you want to accept cookies" messages on websites?
 
neil_g said:
sorry i dont necessarily mean within that software.



to be honest me neither, i dont care if someone knows i spend X hours a day on here, X on facebook and X looking at boobies.. :cautious:

this whole cookies thing is a pain in the arse too, who else is annoyed already at the amount of "do you want to accept cookies" messages on websites?
Click to expand...


That is rather annoying, do you accept cookies? Yes..... and Jaffa cakes (y)
 
Just to be clear:

skimresources.com adds links to keywords in the text of the page (there aren't any here yet, but Dell should work - reload this page with and without Collusion enabled - the word Dell should be underlined and in green)

Google syndication adds a box of 3 ads at the bottom of the page (underneath the quick reply box).
 
Yes... cookies... <sigh>. What a waste of time and money.
 
arad85 said:
Doesn't appear to be an option for that TBH.

I really don't get this big fear of someone knowing your browsing habits. If someone can find a way of targeting me with the cheapest camera shops because I frequent camera forums, surely that's a good thing - or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Yes that's right, Collusion doesn't appear to allow non-flagged instances to be manually blocked (don't know about "Disconnect" - thanks for posting the link Rapscallion). You can toggle between blocking/allowing flagged instances but that's about all.

I'd never blocked ads before trying this (must say I don't miss them through!) but seeing the circles appear on the app as I surf is an eye-opener for me whether blocked or not (not in a "Tinfoil the wardeobe, I'm coming in!!!!!" way, more "Aha, clever stuff's goin' on!" :D).
 
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neil_g said:
Great, that makes google analytics useless :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Does AVG - Do Not Track not perform a similar function. Google Analytics is on it's database to be blocked if you so wish.
 
I've got 'do not track' in FF. It's on but I honestly don't think the trackers take a blind bit of notice of it. I use ghostery which blocks hundreds of web bugs and odds and ends. I also have ad block for getting rid of adverts.
 
Any decent ad blocking sites should intercept and bin any outgoing traffic to the blacklisted websites. The "do not track" pieces of software don't appear to do that. Collusion does block the traffic though and appears to be more adware protection rather than tracking protection.
 
I've used Ghostery on safari for a little while. Have it set to block almost everything except some 3rd party software used for adding comments on certain newspaper websites (can't remember the name of it off the top of my head).
 
Lovely. Block all the streams that pay to keep this forum running for you.

Genius. ;)
 
If an ad free subscription option were available I'd rather do that for sites I visit a lot. I never click on ads even if they're visible. I don't watch them on tv either. They are skipped through. It's the same principle :)
 
neil_g said:
but that means having words in green, and some big brother knowing what i look at online (lets face it, porn. pretty much every guy, its going to be porn.) its far too inconvinient..

:D
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Yup... The Nude and Glamour forum....... ;) :D
 
Marcel said:
Lovely. Block all the streams that pay to keep this forum running for you.

Genius. ;)
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If it was only to keep it running, I'd agree... ;)
 
arad85 said:
Doesn't appear to be an option for that TBH.

I really don't get this big fear of someone knowing your browsing habits. If someone can find a way of targeting me with the cheapest camera shops because I frequent camera forums, surely that's a good thing - or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

For me it's more of a principle thing. I'm quite against "the system" and I don't like the function creep that the government and other official bodies are using to gradually invade our privacy. (Issuing ID cards and holding core data about each individual on central databases will not prevent terrorism or be in the interest of national security, but it WILL make it very easy to keep tabs on people in an arbitrary manner) I'm not a tin-foil hat guy, and I'd say I'm reasonably savvy about the aspects of personal security that we actually need to worry about.

I might try the browser plugin here at work. At home it's made redundant by the fact that I block 3rd party & session cookies, and used an anti-ad/tracker HOSTS file.
 
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:shrug:
Marcel said:
Lovely. Block all the streams that pay to keep this forum running for you.

Genius. ;)
Click to expand...

Don't worry Marcel, majority of folk won't bother.........

...... And TP will be subsidised by others after our private information!
 
I have a few browser add-ons which block scripts and adverts. I believe av forums restrict access to users that use such things. I wonder if TP will follow?
 
I currently use Safari and have the following installed :)

AdBlock
Do Not Track Plus
Cookie Stumbler
JavaScript Blocker
Collusion For Safari
Disconnect
Click to Flash (stops flash adds from running)

Do Not Track Plus will block
Google Adsense
Google Analytics
SkimLinks

Upsetting Marcel and the Mods, this is the blocked items numbers on a normal TP Thread

Screenshot2012-07-21at224808.jpg


Now where near the number blocked on OSXDaily

Screenshot2012-07-21at224734.jpg


But compared to POTN

Screenshot2012-07-21at230400.jpg



There's quite a few red halos on my Collusion Graph for just a day or so browsing ( I reset the graph)

Screenshot2012-07-21at225639.jpg
 
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Just out of curiosity, from those numbers, can you give me a list of what you block on a normal TP thread?

You can PM it to me if you like.

I'm on and off the forums over the next week or so while we have some building work done....but I'll still get your PM :)

Cheers
 
arad85 said:
If it was only to keep it running, I'd agree... ;)
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Would you like to elaborate on your comment?

I'm not seeing an Aston Martin on my drive funded by TP, we work hard to ensure the level of advertising, relevance of advertising and delivery of advertising has a minimal impact on the user experience.
 
digitalfailure said:
Would you like to elaborate on your comment?

I'm not seeing an Aston Martin on my drive funded by TP, we work hard to ensure the level of advertising, relevance of advertising and delivery of advertising has a minimal impact on the user experience.
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Probably a flippant couple of glasses of wine comment.

I have no idea of what you use any excess money for, but if you used the money only to keep the website running, you'd have a statement like "all excess proceeds from the site go to charity" somewhere.

Personally, I don't have a problem with anyones business model - I know I don't pay to use the site - and I do spend an inordinate amount of time here (currently on a balcony in Northern Spain waiting for the day to start ;)). If you can make any money from it, all well and good....
 
Marcel said:
Just out of curiosity, from those numbers, can you give me a list of what you block on a normal TP thread?

You can PM it to me if you like.

I'm on and off the forums over the next week or so while we have some building work done....but I'll still get your PM :)

Cheers
Click to expand...

Screen Grabs of what they block for me, I'm sure they are reporting that they are all blocking the same things.

I do allow the yui.yahooapis.com script as it's the only way to get the drop-down menus to work.

Screenshot2012-07-26at101421.jpg


Screenshot2012-07-26at103359.jpg


Screenshot2012-07-26at101437.jpg


Screenshot2012-07-26at101457.jpg
 
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Ah cheers :)
Brian, did you not get the delivery of the DB9?
Strange, mine came off the lowloader first. He did promise you were next......Maybe it's gone back to the depot.
 
The thing is, I never click the ads anyway..... I assume you only get paid if there is clickthrough.
 
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