Computer Related > Spam, spam, spam - and spam. Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Iffy Replies: 16

 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Iffy
A dramatic decline, but for how long?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12126880
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - RattleandSmoke
Glad to see some of us are doing our jobs properly :).
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Pat
But are we?

Referring to something read in another thread this morning, I too was shocked to find that the block advert on the right ( Bidvertiser) displayed items I had ordered recently from an American firm.

These items had been printed specifically for me and were non stock items, so how does using this forum, relate to that happening?

It was quite a shock and I'm not too happy about it.

Any explanation welcome.

Pat

 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - John H
>> It was quite a shock and I'm not too happy about it.
>>

If you are unhappy about giving up your privacy in return for "free" services, you'll have to give up car4play, google, facebook, .....

 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Pat
My problem is with a 'specific' order I made to the firm in question being displayed before my eyes on a completely different website and I don't think that's unreasonable.

Had it have displayed a generic advert for the firm in question that would have been different.

Pat
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - rtj70
It happens on this site and others because of cookies etc. Say I've looked on Jessops website at cameras. I then go to a site with a Jessops advert. There is a good chance the actual cameras I looked at are shown. Similarly seen this with Screw Fix adverts.
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Stuartli
Presumably it was unique to you and no other forum members would see such details (think cookies)?
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - rtj70
It will have been unique to the viewer but:

1. Why bother? You either decided to or not to buy and this tactic is likely to cause the latter.
2. Should cookies from one site be passed to a third party? Don't forget the ads on the right are syndicated. Out details are passed on to a third party - I assume it's the C4P site that passes on our cookies? Or as good as. The ads are loaded directly from other sites.

The ads often don't load on the phone anyway - it comes up with an error. Not reported it because though.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sat 8 Jan 11 at 00:46
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Pat
My concern is that since it showed the complete detailed order I placed, so do the cookies also pass on details of my name, address and phone number plus debit card details?

If the answer to that is no, which I suspect it may be, how can I be sure of that?

If I'm the only one to see the advert, then what is the value of showing an advert to someone who has already bought the product?

Another thing cropped up over Chritmas which should cause us all concern.

Royal Mail Track &Trace.

If you send a letter to someone that needs a signature you can then copy and print that proof of delivery signature once it's been delivered.

Surely that's opening the doors to forgery.

A little bit of practice is all it takes.

Pat

 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - CGNorwich
The cookies record which sites you have visited, not personal information you have sent. Go into your browser preference and make sure that you have selected something like "accept cookies only from sites I visit' this will block cookies form third parties and advertisers. Alternatively if you are really worried block cookies completely.

I quite like the predictive personal advertising and I suspect it works quite well If you have been looking for a camera say and the next day an advert for that camera pops up that quite likely to nudge you towards a purchase.
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Pat
Thanks CG, I have reset the way cookies are handled now.

Pat
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - ....
>> Alternatively if you are really worried block cookies completely.
>>
>>
Do that and you will be able to read this site for instance but you will not be able to login. That requires cookies.
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - L'escargot
Why is spam called spam?
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Focusless
>> Why is spam called spam?

Monty Python -

According to the Internet Society and other sources, the term spam is derived from the 1970 Spam sketch of the BBC television comedy series "Monty Python's Flying Circus". The sketch is set in a cafe where nearly every item on the menu includes Spam canned luncheon meat. As the waiter recites the Spam-filled menu, a chorus of Viking patrons drowns out all conversations with a song repeating "Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam... lovely Spam! wonderful Spam!", hence "Spamming" the dialogue.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_%28electronic%29#Etymology

www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE
Last edited by: Focus on Sat 8 Jan 11 at 08:27
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Netsur
I am trying to access my office e-mail via webmail (1&1). It is refusing to load and using another website to access it has told me that there is a surfeit of spam.

Has there been a new dumping of spam on the web?
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Gopher
I'm on Widows7 with the preloaded McAfee and NoScript and I don't get any messages / adverts or spam on this site. Am I doing anything wrong?
 Spam, spam, spam - and spam. - Zero

>> Has there been a new dumping of spam on the web?
>>

Yes, the major botnet responsible for spam went quiet over the Christmas holiday, but has bounced back on line with a vengence,
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