| Europeans sometimes seem to be much more | | | | "Be Free willbe prevented from tracking any |
| ethical than Americans | | | | additional data in the futureand will result in |
| (and I am an American; well, a Californian, a state | | | | curtailing the delivery of personalizedcontent to |
| which, like | | | | your desktop." |
| Texas, sometimes views itself as a separate | | | | Blue Streak |
| country), at leastwhen it comes to privacy. This | | | | Removes some ads and pop ups. |
| higher standard of ethics isleading to some serious | | | | Comet Cursors |
| friction between the two sides of the | | | | Stop seeing comet cursor nag screens. |
| Atlantic. | | | | CoreMetrics |
| What's all the hubbub about? In the United States, | | | | Opts out of ads served by Columbia House. Note |
| we havechosen (our legislature, which is really | | | | that uRL aboveis on two lines and should be |
| controlled by bigbusiness and special interests) to | | | | entered into browser as oneline. |
| allow businesses to send spam,junk mail and | | | | Doubleclick |
| collect marketing data (among other things) | | | | One of the largest and most obnoxious internet |
| aboutpeople unless those people have opted-out. | | | | advertisers. |
| This means that onceyou will receive unwanted | | | | This will stop Doubleclick from profiling your visits. |
| items, and you must take the time totell each | | | | Engage |
| individual company that you don't want them. | | | | Opt out of this companies profiling. |
| On the other hand, the European Union has set a | | | | "Click to win" ads. |
| very differentstandard: spam and other marketing | | | | Hunger Site |
| related items cannot be sentto people unless they | | | | Removes their pop under ads. |
| specifically ask for it. This is a muchhigher | | | | Interpolis |
| standard for businesses, as they must now | | | | Movie ads. |
| convince peopleto sign up for their literature and | | | | L90 |
| promotions instead of handlingthe few who bother | | | | Another ad server. |
| to say no thanks. | | | | Rain Forest Site urnOffPopUnders |
| In the United States, opting out applies to just | | | | Removes their pop under ads. |
| about everything. | | | | WebSideStory |
| Even the credit bureaus can sell your marketing | | | | HitBox.com, StatMarket.com, amd |
| information | | | | One of the most hated advertisers on the |
| (remember those credit card applications you | | | | internet, with theirintrusive popups and silly |
| received out of theblue in your mailbox?) to | | | | product. This link will stop thepopups for a long |
| anyone they want, as long as you havenot told | | | | time. Note wrap on URL above. |
| them it's not okay. Doubleclick and other agencies | | | | Some Cautions |
| canbuild profiles of your surfing information, unless, | | | | Remember that you must opt-out of each and |
| of course,you tell them to knock it off. | | | | every individualcompany or service. There is not a |
| Because of the laws in the United States, most | | | | global, opt-out of everythingmagic button |
| marketingcompanies are now providing a way to | | | | anywhere. |
| opt-out from their profiling,pop-up (and under) ads, | | | | If you use more than one browser you must |
| and sometimes even banners. Usually thismethod | | | | opt-out in each andevery one. This is because the |
| consists of setting a cookie which tells their ad | | | | browsers do not share cookies. |
| serveryou have opted out. I know it seems | | | | The opt-out only applies to the computer on |
| strange to set a cookie toprevent a service from | | | | which you are on atthe time. If you move to |
| using cookies, but that's the way itworks. | | | | another computer you must opt-out therealso. |
| Links to the opt-out pages for some of the larger | | | | (Unless you are using something called a roaming |
| and morecommon annoyances are listed below. | | | | profile,which means cookies and things follow you |
| Click the link and followthe instructions. If, after | | | | around. This is commonin business environments |
| clicking the link, you are asked byyour browser or | | | | but not in the home.) |
| cookie software about a cookie, say YES to | | | | The opt-out only applies to a single log on. This |
| saveit. Note that if you have disabled cookies | | | | means if youopt-out under "Fred" and you then |
| (either altogether orfor one of these specific | | | | log out and log back under |
| sites) then these will not work. | | | | "Tom", you must out-out all over again. |
| If applicable, you might also read the privacy | | | | Opt-out cookies do expire, generally within 5 |
| policies and otherpropaganda presented by these | | | | years. So you mustlater remember to opt-out |
| sites. They are very entertaining asthey try very | | | | again. |
| hard to make you understand how all of this is | | | | If you clear your internet cache and ask that |
| foryour benefit. | | | | cookies also beerased (or you erase them with a |
| A large advertiser. Opting out will prevent profiling. | | | | cookie killing product) then youwill lose your |
| Be Free Inc | | | | opt-out settings. |
| One of the larger internet marketing companies. | | | | |