Netscape Navigator Browser Snoops On Web Searches

www.Newsbytes.com ^ | 07 March 2002 | Brian McWilliams

[Eala]

Netscape Navigator Browser Snoops On Web Searches

( Note: the original is full of the following hidden link courtesy of the Washington Post: http://www.newsbytes.com/images/clearpixel.gif)

By Brian McWilliams, Newsbytes
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A.,
07 Mar 2002, 10:29 AM CST

AOL Time Warner's [NTSE:AOL] Netscape unit is snooping on searches performed by users of its latest Navigator browser at Google and other search sites.

According to a network traffic analysis performed by Newsbytes, Netscape is capturing Navigator 6 users' search terms, along with their Internet protocol (IP) address, the date Navigator was installed and a unique identification number.

[Eala]

More follows, but respecting the copyright of the Washington Post, I give you this teaser.

Netscape is now history (forever) on the machine from which I post this, and by the end of the weekend will be removed from all my machines.

Trust: Abuse it, you lose it.

[eddie willers]

A test of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6 browser showed that data on searches conducted from IE's search page is sent directly to the designated search site and is not intercepted by Microsoft.

How can this be?
I thought only Microsoft was evil. </sarcasm>

[JenB]

I don't care what you think of Microsoft, IE is the better browser. That seems pretty clear. This is just one more reason why I will never use Netscape.

[ex-Texan]

I have ZoneAlarm on my 'puter. It has caught Microsoft many times trying to report back to the company. I always say No! I suspect that IE also is doing some snoopy stuff.

Do any Freepers out there know whether IE also is snooping?

[WSGilcrest]

I suspect you have Windows Critical Update Notification running. You can disable this feature.

[NativeNewYorker]

I've never heard of an Opera-targeted exploit, hack, or security hole.

It is stable, fast, easy to navigate, and renders 90+% of the web perfectly. I use it for e-shopping, eBay, and, of course, FReeeping.

[Osinski]

bumpit

[jimtorr]

You (that's the collective freeper you) can say what you like about Netscape, Microsoft, Real Networks and all of the others who have been caught tracking web surfing. I think that every major web company either tracks your surfing, or buys the information from the major web sites. I don't trust any company who says that they don't keep records of who visits.

[eddie willers]

and renders 90+% of the web perfectly

What does it do that my free IE 6 doesn't?
Is IE6 less than 90%?

[NativeNewYorker]

I don't have to live in fear of "yet another IE security hole".

Opera also allows you to open a zillion windows within one session of the browser, maximizing screen utility and minimizing crash-causing system resource drainage.

The software has a very very small footprint.

[gcruse]

I like Netscape 4.5. If it weren't for Composer it would take forever to format posts. I installed version 6 but hated it, and never use it.

[jimtorr]

Opera also is free. I think a major benefit of Opera may be that it isn't a huge, bloated mass of software that tries to be everything to everybody, and ends up being not nearly as good as it should be. The same goes for Netscape and especially AOL. What do I want with all of those developer tools? Internet radio? Instant Messaging? Some people want them, but why do I have to have them, too?

Maybe I'll try Opera my own self.

[jimtorr]

I also hate Netscape 6, in all it's incarnations. AOL's attempt to copy IE.

[jimtorr]

Oops, my mistake. Opera is only free for a 30 day trial period. After that it costs twenty bucks. Still cheap, but not free.

[sigSEGV]

Use it before Netscape puts their crap in it.

http://www.mozilla.org/

[Vicki]

Don't like Netscape 6, we use version 4.7 or Internet Explorer . We only use the IE because we can't always see or use all of the features of a web site.

I think both browsers collect data whenever possible.

[Fish out of Water]

index bump

[Capt. Tom]

This will give you an idea of browser popularity. Here are some stats from my website. 85% of the visitors use Internet explorer.

Browser Hits-- Visitor Sessions-- % of Total Hits
1 Microsoft Internet Explorer 3,097 85.34%
2 Netscape 359 9.89%
3 Other Netscape Compatible 135 3.72%
4 MetaProducts Download Express/1.0 8 0.22%

[Fish out of Water]

Opera for the MAC fan bump.

[W1RCH]

Startling news: "According to a network traffic analysis performed by Newsbytes, Netscape is capturing Navigator 6 users' search terms, along with their Internet protocol (IP) address, the date Navigator was installed and a unique identification number."

Does anyone really care?