Jump to content

NSA uses Google cookies to track surveillance targets online


Matsuda

Recommended Posts

NSA_GooglePREFID.png

New NSA documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden suggest that the US intelligence agency is making use of cookies, the technology designed to help advertisers track audiences, to pinpoint surveillance targets and their activity across the Web.

The latest leak — published by the Washington Post — comes courtesy of a presentation slide that suggests cookies are also used to assist with ‘remote exploitation’ (hacking) initiatives.

Privacy advocates have long raised concerns of cookie-based tracking and the levels of access possible — highlighted by the record FTC fine handed to Google last year for misuse — but the fact that the technology is used for government surveillance brings more pressing concerns over how cookies are used and regulated.

Google declined to comment on the report, but the company is a founding member of the Reform Government Surveillance group, which launched this week.




search_button.gifSource

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 3
  • Views 913
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Ambrocious

    1

  • mikie

    1

  • Matsuda

    1

  • janedoe

    1

Top Posters In This Topic

The worst thing is how so many sites deliberately fail if all or even just third party cookies are blocked. Whether to allow sites to save cookies is supposedly a user choice, but in reality they ensure you have no choice at all. High time some tough legislation was passed making third party cookies truly optional.

Edited by janedoe
Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...