Re: Google's "Shared Endorsements"

[Daniël W. Crompton <daniel.crompton () gmail com>]

On 22 October 2013 17:17, Rich Kulawiec <rsk () gsp org> wrote:

> On Tue, Oct 15, 2013 at 10:24:35PM +0200, Dani??l W. Crompton wrote:
> > I've recently been trying out different mail tracking software which
> > augments the in-browser mail client with a webbug and all the links with
> a
> > redirected url, much like you would get in a marketing mail.
>
> I wouldn't recommend it.  These are spammer-originated, abusive,
> invasive methods that are never used by responsible professionals.
> I think a substantial argument can be made that they're a form
> of malicious spyware, and there's no doubt that they attack both
> the privacy and security of recipients.  So my recommendation is
> to never, ever use them.

As I implied this was for research purposes. I agree that there is no
benefit to use them for personal use cases, as for the professional use
cases I'm unsure if a blanket statement such as "spammer-originated,
abusive, invasive" apply here. Recently I have seen some really nasty and
really innovative use cases in which this technology is used, and I'm sure
I will see more as time goes on.

As for the tools themselves almost all of them have integrations for sales,
customer service or marketing SaaS such as KissMetrics, SalesForce, Google
Analytics, etc. The number of add-ons which are currently being offered for
this kind of "privacy intrusion" is growing, for browser and mail clients.
They are obviously meant for the professional market, and they are
obviously being used. This is beside the mail receipts (Message Disposition
Notifications) and home grown varieties that organizations have been
offering in the 'standard' signatures for quite a number of years.

D.


blaze your trail

-- 
Daniël W. Crompton <daniel.crompton () gmail com>

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