This story appears in the
July 2000 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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Beware: Your Web browser could be a leaky bucket that,
unbeknownst to you, reveals your e-mail address to every Web site
that you choose to visit. What might seem like a nightmarish
compromise of your privacy is apparently pretty common. To get an
instant verdict about just how well your browser's privacy
fares, head to something called "Privacy Analysis of Your Internet
Connection". In less than a minute, this site will tell
you all it is able to find out about you, just by getting inside
your browser. The results can be rather frightening. The few
seconds it takes to put your browser through the tests could well
provide the prodding you need to download a more recent browser
version (with stronger security safeguards) of either Internet
Explorer (www.microsoft.com/downloads)
or Netscape Communicator (http://www.netscape.com/computing/download).
For more tips on preserving your online privacy and security,
read the Electronic Freedom Foundation's "Top 12
Ways To Protect Your Online Privacy", which provides a
short but thorough primer with some great tips on guarding your
personal details from prying eyes.
Robert McGarvey has covered the Web since 1995. Visit his Web
site at www.mcgarvey.net.