For the past year, Adobe Flash has been reinstalling cookies that have been deleted by users through its popular viewing application. Known as ‘Zombie Cookies,’ these are secret cookies that, without consent, are re-activated after users have disabled them.
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Cookies are used to track unique web searches and store bits of information that allow websites to personalize viewing data based on the sites a users has visited in the past. Concerned internet users can disable cookies on their computers (though this often affects the ability of sites to operate as intended) and many do. A class action law suit has recently been launched in the Untied States against sites using the application without informing their users of Zombies. Defendants include MTV, ESPN, ABC, NBC and MySpace.
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Visit the Protect module of the Digital Tattoo website to figure out how you can control your cookies and protect yourself.
Sounds horrible.
As the internet develops, we do need the law to protect us better.
Wow! I can’t believe Adobe did that! Maybe there should be a web code of ethics?
This story seems a little like it’s out of 1997 — although it’s still a user’s prerogative to disable their browsing cookies, the vast majority of web content providers use them to enable a better experience for the user, and I’d wager that well over 99.9% of tracking data is anonymous for all intents and purposes.