atrus

I realized a while ago that Google is in a tough spot. Theyre under attack because of some (very legitimate) privacy concerns. On the other hand, I understand their desire for information as a researcher (computer scientist makes me feel funny).

I think some limits for privacy concerns are pretty clear to. For example, their <a href=http://www.google-watch.org/optin.html>opt-in for search engines idea is blatantly stupid. If you make information public then people and bots can access it. The simple solution is to not make your private crap public and limit access with logins if you want to limit availability. You opt-in to the internet and you can choose to opt-out. Theres no way at all to enforce their idea. It just means that policy-abiding bots will be left with little to look at while your neighborhood spam bot runs free.

I think a far more debatable question is how much of what you do should be monitored? Should your browsing patterns be recorded for private gain? I think not. Tracking cookies are more than I want. Just as I dont want someone to keep track of my location all the time, I dont want ad-companies keeping tabs on the sites I visit.

At the same time, some limited tracking is going to occur. When you connect to a server to get a web page, its going to log your IP address. When you buy something from a store, theyre going to know what you bought.

The only way to prevent this is to protect your anonymity as a traveler. You can start using a proxy if you want to protect your IP address. Bug me not is one of the most useful sites I know of. You just paste a URL and it gives you a username and password to use. If you want a domain name, you can bypass ICANNs mandatory registration in the whois database. Maybe the next step is a pool of those stupid club cards that so many stores have to provide minor discounts in exchange for tracking information.

Personally, Im not that worried about (software, not double) agents collecting data. I think theres little point in tracking me. Its generally much more useful (and interesting) to study trends. Im pretty sure Im uninteresting as a person (to security and marketing agencies anyway). I feel that the paranoid theyre out to get me view is a product of egocentrism. Ive also already surrendered quite a bit of information to get my clearance(s) at the Naval Research Lab.

For the odd case that someone might be mining for data about me, I either a) have some guard or b) dont care. The address and phone number recorded as mine on so many pieces of paper wont lead anyone to me. Theyll lead you to my house (if you can find it). Its a small step away; its enough to make me feel comfortable (and thats the best I can do, right?).

I also try to focus attention on my interests, instead of on myself. This is a personal journal, but I try to use events in my life only as ...lead-ins for topics I like to study and discuss. If you find out I work for Fujitsu and (sorta) the Navy, or that I also own the domain shelveit.net, I just dont care. Its information and Ive chosen to share it. I still have that choice, and you do to.

I want to information to be free and put to good use.

It would be really nice if google kept track of how many pages of search results you viewed and whether or not you come back and search more, to improve their search results. That doesnt require a long-lived cookie, or a cookie at all. All it takes is recording session info (counting repeated hits from an IP address within a short time span as one visit and such). Id love it if advertisers put up ads that actually interested me (yes, I like properly targeted ads! they let me find interesting businesses. Advertising could be cheaper).

I want you, yes you, to buy some bandwidth and post your essays, writings, art, software, or whatever. What the internet needs is more good content; work on making it.

It can also use good ways to find it all. May earch engines be tools for speech and art, instead of boring ads and censorship. Long live the blogosphere (if under a less cheesy-sounding name).