Company Bypasses Cookie-Deleting Consumers

edited April 2005 in Science & Tech
United Virtualities is offering online marketers and publishers technology that attempts to undermine the growing trend among consumers to delete cookies planted in their computers.
The New York company on Thursday unveiled what it calls PIE, or persistent identification element, a technology that's uploaded to a browser and restores deleted cookies. In addition, PIE, which can't be easily removed, can also act as a cookie backup, since it contains the same information.

Cookies are small files often uploaded to people's computers as they visit websites run by retailers, entertainment companies, newspapers and other businesses. The text files contain information that's used to track visitors' behavior, or to offer visitors products or services based on information gathered during previous visits, a process called personalization. In addition, cookie-gathered information is often pivotal for advertising campaigns and e-mail marketing.

According to JupiterResearch, a division of Jupitermedia Corp., 58 percent of Internet users have deleted the tiny files, essentially making many consumers anonymous during site visits. In addition, 39 percent of consumers are deleting cookies from their primary computer monthly.
submitted by: Kwitko Food Mart

Source: Internet News

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited April 2005
    Bull****. <i>Bull</i>****. I want to slap the crap out of whomever inveted that.
  • edited April 2005
    It's spyware if you ask me as it behaves much the same way. I think macromedia should sue the hell out of them as I'm sure that's a violation of their EULA somehow.
  • entropyentropy Yah-Der-Hey (Wisconsin)
    edited April 2005
    Agreed. It's like high-tech spyware. Why not use the programming skills for something USEFUL?
    submitted by: Kwitko Food Mart
    ;D
  • NosferatuNosferatu Arizona
    edited April 2005
    "Mookie Tanembaum, founder and chief executive of United Virtualities, says the company is trying to help consumers by preventing them from deleting cookies". Give me a f***ing break!
  • NosferatuNosferatu Arizona
    edited April 2005
    "The user is not proficient enough in technology to know if the cookie is good or bad, or how it works,"

    ...

    "Mookie Tanembaum, founder and chief executive of United Virtualities, says the company is trying to help consumers by preventing them from deleting cookies".

    ...

    "If people don't want cookies in place, then (their browsers) shouldn't be tagged."


    So he's contradicting himself... first consumers aren't smart enough to know if they don't want cookies, which is why their software takes away their choice. Now he says consumers should be able to choose if they want the cookies.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited April 2005
    we don't need your help, thanks though :shakehead
  • edited April 2005
    Yeah, thanks for helping us save us from ourselves so you can cash in. Thanks a bunch! You're just what we need.
  • NosferatuNosferatu Arizona
    edited April 2005
    Where were you all my life?
  • jradminjradmin North Kackalaki
    edited April 2005
    I say we bring back the good ol' Lynch Mob. Honestly, isnt their enough problem with spyware in the world?
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