IP: [A PERSONAL COMMENT FROM YOUR EDITOR] Re: VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE -- Massive Tracking of Web Users Planned --Via ISPs!

[David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 07:43:21 -0400
> From: Richard Fritzson <fritzson () cs umbc edu>
>
> Perhaps it's time to start using HTTPS for more than just credit 
> cards. If the half
> dozen or so largest search sites were willing to provide a secure portal for
> performing searches, would that be sufficient to block this part of 
> the plan? Or am
> I missing a detail?


You would also need to hide via anonymizer proxie sites source/ 
destination info also.

A PERSONAL COMMENT FROM YOUR EDITOR

I think the issues are a lot bigger than just how to get around such 
behavior. as i have said often in the past, if this industry can not 
behave itself and act like a rational self regulating , adult 
supervision will be imposed -- that is called government regulation. 
(I have made that a theme of talks I have given in my CT role at the 
FCC).

If a similar idea was tried on the telephone infrastructure, I 
believe you would get hauled off to jail for illegal wiretap. Lets 
get adult as a business and realize that sometimes it is necessary to 
"just say no" to ideas which are on the slippery slope toward 
regulation. No responsible data carrier or isp should even think of 
getting involved in such a "business opportunity" without carefully 
understanding the long term costs.

Dave