Computer Related > In Private Browsing/Filtering Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Duncan Replies: 3

 In Private Browsing/Filtering - Duncan
First, a disclaimer. I don't understand this subject.

I have been reading about legislation which has just come in with regard to the use of cookies on websites.

Does it matter to Joe Average? Should I be using "In Private Browsing/Filtering"? What would be the disadvantages if I did?

Should I let that nice Mr Gates make all the decisions for me?
 In Private Browsing/Filtering - Pat
I don't understand this either Duncan.

There is one website I use where when I log in, it immediately logs me out again.

The sites Techie contacted me to see if he could get to the bottom of the problem and in the course of the conversation, asked me to log in using 'in private' and it worked, much to my surprise as I didn't know it existed.

Why would this happen?

Pat
 In Private Browsing/Filtering - John H
>> Does it matter to Joe Average? >>

To see how much tracking of your online activity goes on each web site, install this little widget:
www.ghostery.com/
"Ghostery sees the invisible web - tags, web bugs, pixels and beacons. Ghostery tracks the trackers and gives you a roll-call of the ad networks, behavioral data providers, web publishers, and other companies interested in your activity."

Joe Average does get up to some naughty things on the internet, if surveys and stats are to be believed. It only matters if Joe Average wants to hide stuff from
(a) people who have access to his computer at his end of the net and/or
(b) the people who have access to his computer at the other end of the net and/or
(c) people who may get in between the two ends.

>> Should I be using "In Private Browsing/Filtering"? What would be the disadvantages if I did?

For you to decide. This warning from Firefox may help:

"Warning: Private Browsing doesn't make you anonymous on the Internet. Your Internet service provider, employer, or the sites themselves can still track what pages you visit. Private Browsing also doesn't protect you from keyloggers or spyware that may be installed on your computer."

Further warning:
arstechnica.com/security/2010/08/private-browsing-not-so-private/
"Research by Stanford University to investigate the privacy of the "private browsing" feature of many Web browsers suggests that the tools aren't all that private after all, and that many kinds of information can be leaked by browsers when using the mode."

My view: If you want to keep things private, don't use the internet.
Last edited by: John H on Mon 28 May 12 at 08:28
 In Private Browsing/Filtering - Victorbox
I would just run Ccleaner after each session when you want to remove unwanted cookies. You can choose within the programme which cookies to keep such as the ones from this site: www.piriform.com/ccleaner
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