Fact Check

Yahoo Web Beacons

Yahoo! Groups is using 'web beacons' to track users.

Published Jan. 7, 2009

Claim:

Claim:   Yahoo! Groups is using "web beacons" to track users.


UNDETERMINED


Example:   [Collected via e-mail, April 2002]


Yahoo maybe tracking your internet activity ...

https://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/opt_out/targeting/details.html

Yahoo is Tracking Group Members

If you belong to ANY Yahoo Groups - be aware that Yahoo is now using
"Web Beacons" to track every Yahoo Group user. It's 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: https://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/details.html

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, on the left
find a box entitled "Opt-Out."

In that section find "opt-out of interest-matched advertising" link that will let
you "opt-out" of their snooping. Click it and then click the opt-out button on
the next page.

Note that Yahoo's 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.

https://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/opt_out/targeting/details.html


 

Origins:   Research in progress.

Last updated:   8 January 2009

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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