Attached Link: http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy

If you belong to ANY Yahoo Groups be aware that Yahoo isnow using "Web Beacons" to trackevery Yahoo Group user. Its similar to cookies, but allows Yahoo to record every website and every group you visit, even when you're not connected to Yahoo. Look at their updated privacy statement at: http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy (The link at the beginning of this post) About half-way down the page, in the section on cookies, you will see a link that says WEB BEACONS. Click on the phrase Web Beacons. On the page that opens, find a paragraph entitled "Outside the Yahoo Network." In that section find a little "Click Here to Opt Out" link that will let you "opt-out" of their snooping. Be careful NOTto click on the next button shown (it looks like a "close window" or "return to previous page" button). It is actually an "Opt Back In" button that, if clicked, will UNDO the opt-out. Pretty sneaky, huh! Note that Yahoos invasion of your privacy and your ability to opt-out of it is not user-specific. It is MACHINE specific. That means you will have to opt-out on every computer (and browser) you use.

They've been doing this for years. It caused a big brouhaha when it was first announced.

I've been opted out since they started doing it. Though they're tricky; sometimes it's "accidentally" reset (yes, even on the same computer) and you have to set your privacy settings again. It's a good idea to check back once in awhile.

Yes, but if they get permission from a secret judge within 72 hours then... no, wait... wrong Big Brother. Thanks for the heads-up Boba.

Thank you... I've been trying to track that bugger down for the last month and a half... I noticed that there was one last item closing when I shut down my sys... I am almost always off line when I shut down, and it couldn't contact yahoo, so it showed up as something that needed to be shut down before exiting... like a forced terminate. Lou.

If you're on Windows, Zone Alarm will prevent any such thing from connecting to the Internet at all. Dirty scum.

I didn't know about this before. I just opted out.

Thanks for that Bobasaur. archdruid - that doesn't sound like a web beacon, that sounds like spyware. Now a question - has anyone found a way to blocks google adwords yet ? maybe via the hosts. file ?

I don't see why it's a big deal. I don't do much surfing, like I check e-mail at yahoo, then go here and 'rotica, google, daz, rdna. where's the need for secrecy? it's not like they're gonna report you to "no such agency" or anything, if they have 10 millions of yahooligans to keep track of.

Kinda like having a window peeper. Even when you're not doing anything its still creepy.

The reason it's a problem is the same reason why I don't write all my personal correspondance on post cards. It's nobody's business but my own, even if I'm NOT "doing anything". bonni

Thank you for this info. I really don't want Yahoo tracking me. So much unregulated dirt comes out of there.

Sneaky Bastards! Thanks for the info!