I found an interesting article on what 'Privacy' really means in regards to online registration etc. Most people apparently are not aware that sites sell off their information to related companies...even when you tell them not too...they are allowed to sell it when such companies are sister/parent etc. type companies.
This article was linked from a new company called Demoxi that is creating a software to protect your privacy online. I am not too clear on how it all works yet as I just discovered it today. I will be updating this post after playing around with it..but you are welcome to check it out for yourselves. If you do...let me know what you've learned.
Currently this software is in a 'beta' test. Thus there is no fee...as to whether in the future their would be a fee...I would assume so..but have found no evidence to how much as of yet.
Personally to be able to browse the net and restrict sites from sharing my information would be well worth it. I have recently started getting 'spam' texts on my cell phone....at the cost of 10c per text this is annoying. I previously had maybe one in a month..but I have got just today two of them. I wonder if a site I used my cellphone as a contact info on might have sold that info off...(the only sites I put real contact info on is usually when submitting a resume etc.)
Edit 3:10pm 1-22-08
Ok..after reading up a bit more and doing some testing..the Demoxi softare is pretty neat. It will prevent you from getting 'phished' and also stores all your data 'locally' on you PC so that when you go to log into the bank...or purchase something online..you can fill all your forms with LOCKED data from Demoxi. This makes online password managment and online purchases much easier. It also merges with your browser (IE, Firefox ...soon to be Safari as well) and deletes cookies etc. (the browser already does this..but Demoxi just interfaces with it and makes it a bit easier to manage).
It stores any credit card/buying card numbers as well. Again these are encrypted and locked on your PC...and they are not accessible until you log into the Demoxi software.
Edit:1-24-08
Ok..found this page that tells some background to the company. It appears that the intention is for the software to be free...so although it is in BETA right now, apparently after it is complete and released to the general public, it will be free.
cool
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Online privacy and what it really means
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4 comments:
Hmmm, interesting. Glad to see you were blogging at the exact moment N8 and i were getting sealed. :)
I am pretty interested. I think I'll Have B check it out too. Thanks.
I hope I don't start getting spam texts.. it's scary knowing that personal infor can get sold to other companies; what type of info should I avoid using then? Phone numbers, addresses are the ones that I can see but are there others?
thanks for the info. Good to know
He had to blog at that exact moment because it was the last place he was closest to you my little love...he's such a sensitive soul.
oh yah - good on ya to find this stuff out. I HATE signing up for stuff and knowing full well that they aren't realllly being private with all of my information. How else can I get so much crap in the mail and in my junk email inbox? Every time I sign up for something, thats what I get. Yep, so time to check it out. Thanks for the heads up, I'll definitely tell my friends.
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