As controversial as privacy problems within the digital frontier have become, few solutions to help unwitting Web surfers wrestle back their privacy rights have appeared in the marketplace. This general lack of user control has frustrated Web surfers and slowed the growth of E-commerce. The standard settings built into today''s common Web browsers can''t offer the granularity needed to help people make ''on the fly'' decisions about how much personal information they''re willing to release.
Now, an innovative approach from IDCide.com, called the Privacy Companion, is the first-of-its-kind tool that alerts users when they''re being tracked, and by whom.
"The benefits of our product are unquestionably clear. Most people don''t realize that every time they surf the Web they are under surveillance. Internet sites collect every piece of information they can about a Web surfer. The Privacy Companion makes it possible to control how much information they want to give out," claims Ron Perry, co-founder of IDcide.
The Privacy Companion is a freely downloadable add-in for Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4 and 5, operating on Windows 95/98, NT 4, and Windows 2000. Other versions are under development for AOL, Netscape, and Explorer 5.5. Future support if planned for the MacOS, Linux, and Opera-based browsers. There are no plans to ever charge for downloading the Privacy Companion.
The tool is most effective in warding off the ''evil'' cookies that are planted by third-party tracking networks while visiting member sites within the network. DoubleClick is cited as the most common example of where Privacy Companion helps out. When you''re visiting a site that''s attached to a third-party tracker like DoubleClick and Privacy Protection mode is enabled, the Privacy Companion will block ''foreign'' cookies and warn you that you''re being tracked. It also provides you statistics on the sites that have tried to follow you.
Targeting Persistent Cookies
Because persistent cookies are the most common method used to track Web usage, the Privacy Companion works to detect shared cookies between sites and automatically blocks their storage on your computer. By using this approach to privacy management, you can continue to receive personalized services on the sites that deposit cookies directly without the concern or fear that other external sites are monitoring your activities or flooding you with banner advertisements.
Browser cookies are a perpetual source of argument as advertisers claim they''re a harmless way to make your Web browsing experience better, claiming that you''ll only see targeted ads for products that interest you. Privacy advocates, on the other hand, describe cookies as mysterious little spies that hide out on your computer making Big Brother aware of your every move. While the truth lies somewhere in the middle, there''s still plenty to fear if you value your personal privacy.
While the dozens of other cookie-blocking programs on the Web use a brute-force approach to blocking, the Privacy Companion offers three modes of operation that are selectable as you surf from site to site:
- No privacy lets everyone track you
- Medium privacy blocks third-party tracking network cookies
- High privacy blocks all cookies.
This separation of privacy settings places the Privacy Companion into a class by itself to meet user demands for control over who''s watching who on the Net.
Protect Yourself and Your Customers Too
Privacy companion is a novel -- and effective -- tool to help strike a balance between privacy and personalization. Finally, one of the worst criticisms of E-commerce can be relegated to extinction. Do yourself and your customers a favor by making Privacy Companion your personal companion.
IDcide was founded in June 1999 to develop products that help users control their own privacy. The company has offices in Saratoga, California and Kfar Saba, Israel. They''ve received venture capital funding from the Neurome Venture Capital Fund, Star Ventures, Sadot Research and Development Fund, E&M Computing, and several private investors.
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