From: Jon Mittelhauser <jonm@netscape.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 95 18:39:34 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Netscape and privacy
In-Reply-To: <9509290026.AA08282@toad.com>
Message-ID: <44fin4$rdq@tera.mcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


csmyth@blaze.cs.jhu.edu (Chris Smyth) wrote:

>I personally oppose the collection of this type of behavioral tracking
>information without my explicit consent, and I would reconsider using
>software which implements the type of tracking Clark mentions above.  Note,
>Clark's reply is ambiguous because it does not indicate if the `schemes'
>have been implemented or deployed at this time.  Some list member associated
>with Netscape may wish to clarify Clark's comments.  
>
>It is true that a user automatically contacts the Netscape Web cite when
>starting the browser if he or she has not reset the default home page.  I
>reset my home page long ago, but I do not know if the Netscape site is still
>contacted anyway.  Nor do I know if Netscape is contacted when I quit the
>browser, or if elapsed usage time is tracked.

The Navigator doesn't make any special connections nor perform any data collection
on the client-side.  In fact, most of the engineers here would quit long before
we would provide information without consent.  That was the reason for removing
the mail address from the HTTP header years ago...it is very easy to track what
the Navigator sends out by simply setting up a proxy/firewall...

Netscape (the company) does attempt to track users through their contacts with
our homepage...Needless to say, this is a common practice.  We track hits, IP
addresses, and attempt to use cookies to determine unique users...We sell advertising
based on estimates of hits/etc...if you never hit our site, you are never counted...
even if you do hit our site, no information (other than IP address) is ever known...

-Jon