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Super Cookies - Are we being tracked "again"

AZgl1500

Extreme Android User
Feb 3, 2011
6,378
3,144
Oklahoma grasslands
According to this article I just received from a newsletter, the Super Cookies are back amongst us again, even though the FCC clamped down on the practice.

I will post the link instead of writing much about it.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article...=nl.e101&s_cid=e101&ttag=e101&ftag=TRE684d531


a short blurb from the article has a link to see if your Carrier is Tracking You...

Supercookies are back
Tracking headers are back in play, and more mobile carriers than AT&T and Verizon are using them. To determine which mobile carriers are involved and the prevalence of tracking headers, the people at Access developed the Am I Being Tracked? website illustrated at the beginning of the article. "The website performs several simple tests to determine whether users are being tracked," the paper's authors write. The procedure is as follows:

  • Determine whether the device making the request is a mobile device operating on a 3G, 4G, or LTE carrier network.
  • Extract the user's IP address from the normal HTTP header (not the injected header).
  • Look up the IP address in an IP geolocation database, matching the IP address with publicly available information about where the IP range is located.
  • Look for any unusual or custom headers in the HTTP request and, if found, they are logged.
  • Results of the test are returned to the user stating whether the user is being tracked.
Looks like us Verizon folks are still okay...


Tracked.jpg
 
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Screenshot_2015-08-31-20-51-02.png
↑ The test reports that I'm not being tracked.

The test also reports that my carrier is Google, which is interesting because my carrier is really at&t. It may have been fooled by some apps or modules on my phone: Adaway, minminguard, or xprivacy. Most likely xprivacy... my xprivacy setting for "operator" is "defaced"
 
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I finally found it and set it. Three hours later it is still set. The information says ...

Relevant Mobile Advertising

When you use your wireless device, you often see advertising on websites and apps. Using the postal address we have for you and certain consumer information such as your device type, language preference and demographic and interest categories provided to us by other companies (such as gender, age range, sports fan, frequent diner, or pet owner), we will determine whether you fit within an audience category that an advertiser is trying to reach. This program uses a unique identifier, also known as a Unique Identifier Header or UIDH, that is inserted into certain web traffic to deliver ads to your mobile device. In addition, using a different unique identifier we create when you register on our websites we mark your account in a way that allows select advertisers to use information they have about your visits to online websites to deliver marketing messages to mobile devices on our network. This means ads you see may be more relevant to you. We do not share information that identifies you personally outside of Verizon as part of this program.

You have a choice about whether to participate in the Relevant Mobile Advertising program. The UIDH discussed above will stop being inserted in web traffic from your device after you opt out of the Relevant Mobile Advertising program. The UIDH will still appear for a short period of time after you opt out. Please note that if you opt-out of Relevant Mobile Advertising, but you have opted-in to Verizon Selects, you will continue to receive relevant advertising on your mobile device. Also, please note that you will receive mobile ads whether you participate or not, but under the program, ads may be more relevant to you.

... Thom
 
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I finally found it and set it. Three hours later it is still set. The information says ...

Relevant Mobile Advertising

When you use your wireless device, you often see advertising on websites and apps. Using the postal address we have for you and certain consumer information such as your device type, language preference and demographic and interest categories provided to us by other companies (such as gender, age range, sports fan, frequent diner, or pet owner), we will determine whether you fit within an audience category that an advertiser is trying to reach. This program uses a unique identifier, also known as a Unique Identifier Header or UIDH, that is inserted into certain web traffic to deliver ads to your mobile device. In addition, using a different unique identifier we create when you register on our websites we mark your account in a way that allows select advertisers to use information they have about your visits to online websites to deliver marketing messages to mobile devices on our network. This means ads you see may be more relevant to you. We do not share information that identifies you personally outside of Verizon as part of this program.

You have a choice about whether to participate in the Relevant Mobile Advertising program. The UIDH discussed above will stop being inserted in web traffic from your device after you opt out of the Relevant Mobile Advertising program. The UIDH will still appear for a short period of time after you opt out. Please note that if you opt-out of Relevant Mobile Advertising, but you have opted-in to Verizon Selects, you will continue to receive relevant advertising on your mobile device. Also, please note that you will receive mobile ads whether you participate or not, but under the program, ads may be more relevant to you.

... Thom

That's why I hate ads. I don't belong to the demographic I'm supposed to belong to. I've blown a few minds. Let me pick the companies. TMO - no tracking.
 
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I wish I could just flip a switch and have all advertising eliminated from my cellphone.
I usually buy the "pro" version of apps that I use a lot, that to get rid of advertising, and to give the developer his due for making something that benefits me. If he didn't, then I would not have a play toy, right?
 
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Nine hours later ... still waiting ... Thom

After two+ days I visited my local Verizon store. They had no information ... said they were a reseller and I needed to talk to corporate.

Now at three+ days ... half hour on the phone with Technical Support ... her records shows that IO am opted out ... she could not get an answer on how long it will take for it to take affect.

The original quote was ... "The UIDH will still appear for a short period of time after you opt out." ... and is clearly more than three days.

She submitted a report to exculpate the question.

... Thom
 
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Verizon - I am no longer being tracked.

If you are on Verizon and are being tracked by UIDH you can turn it off by ...
  • Logon to My Verizon
  • Select My Profile (top far right)
  • Selec1t Privacy Settings (bottom middle)
  • Go to Relevant Mobile Advertising (last item in list)
  • Select No, I don't want to participate in Relevant Mobile Advertising
  • Select Save Changes
After waiting three days for it to process my request I contacted Verizon Customer Service. Their records showed the same information as mine. Their conclusion was that I was all set and they had no estimate on how long it would take to complete processing. They submitted an escalation notice. (I was on the phone with them for 30 minutes.)

14 hours later it processed my request. (It took either 4 days after making the change in My Verizon or 14 hours affect after contacting Customer Support.)

... Thom
 
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