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posted by azrael on Sunday March 29 2015, @06:10AM   Printer-friendly
from the putting-a-value-on-privacy dept.

According to the BBC UK Safari users can sue Google for working around Safari's Privacy Settings in a UK court.

Google has lost a Court of Appeal bid to stop consumers having the right to sue in the UK over alleged misuse of privacy settings.

A group of users claim that Google bypassed security settings on the Safari browser to install tracking cookies on their computers in order to target them with advertising.

...

The landmark case potentially opens the door to litigation from the millions of Britons who used Apple computers, iPhones, iPods and iPads during the relevant period, summer 2011 to spring 2012, said Jonathan Hawker who represents the Google Action Group, a not-for-profit company set up to manage claims against the internet giant for breach of privacy.

Also covered at Ars Technica and CNet.

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  • (Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 29 2015, @07:01AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 29 2015, @07:01AM (#163736)

    TAILS Linux WARNING v.1.3.1 (re: tails-autotest-remote-shell)

    In TAILS 1.3.1, The developers have moved the file:

    'tails-autotest-remote-shell'

    from /usr/local/sbin/ (where 'do_not_ever_run_me' still resides)

    to:

    /etc/init.d/
    /usr/local/lib/

    Delete the file or rm && touch && chmod -v 000 it (warning: this isn't a cut and paste command) before connecting TAILS to the net. The same method and warning applies to the file 'do_not_ever_run_me' which, like the remote-shell file, should not exist on a distro let alone a distro like TAILS. The package 'Whisperback' should be removed as well along with the directory: /etc/whisperback

    There are only a few tips out of many, imo there are other 'problems' with this distro as well.

    You are warned.

    • (Score: -1, Offtopic) by anubi on Sunday March 29 2015, @10:13AM

      by anubi (2828) on Sunday March 29 2015, @10:13AM (#163757) Journal

      My parent has been modded "spam", however no explanation given as to why.

      I am not well enough versed in TAILS to make a judgement call.

      I sure would appreciate commentary defending a spam call in cases like this...

      --
      "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
      • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Ryuugami on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:05PM

        by Ryuugami (2925) on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:05PM (#163783)

        On another story this same comment was modded offtopic. I assume that here it was modded spam because that's what posting identical off-topic comments to multiple stories is (think APK).

        I sure would appreciate commentary defending a spam call in cases like this...

        And I would appreciate the AC to post it as a story, with "BREAKING" in the title to draw editor attention if it's urgent. Spamming unrelated comment threads is not the way.

        --
        If a shit storm's on the horizon, it's good to know far enough ahead you can at least bring along an umbrella. - D.Weber
      • (Score: 1) by maxwell demon on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:07PM

        by maxwell demon (1608) on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:07PM (#163784) Journal

        You don't need to know much about TAILS to make a judgement call. The moderation option "Spam" is there to be specifically used on spam, not on a generic offtopic or troll post (Offtopic would have been the appropriate moderation here, IMHO). The OP obviously doesn't advertise any product or service, it doesn't contain any links that could be used for link farming, and I also don't see any indication of excessive multiposting. So I think it is safe to say that the post is not spam.

        --
        The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
        • (Score: 3, Informative) by TLA on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:55PM

          by TLA (5128) on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:55PM (#163796) Journal

          if it's an identical message as one posted elsewhere, technically it's spam.

          --
          Excuse me, I think I need to reboot my horse. - NCommander
          • (Score: 3, Insightful) by maxwell demon on Sunday March 29 2015, @01:06PM

            by maxwell demon (1608) on Sunday March 29 2015, @01:06PM (#163798) Journal

            There is a reason why the term "excessive multiposting" contains the word "excessive".

            --
            The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
      • (Score: 3, Interesting) by janrinok on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:09PM

        by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:09PM (#163785) Journal

        I don't know whether it should be described as SPAM, but it seems that the post is unwarranted and is certainly off-topic. The only bug related to 'tails-autotest-remote-shell' that I can find appears to be a race condition with the greeter page, the problem has been diagnosed, and remedial action is proposed: see here [riseup.net].

        Nevertheless, this may be another bug but it doesn't appear to have been reported to TAILS so I have to express a little bit of doubt. There has only been 1 other post by this AC which also resulted in a score of 0, so it is hardly the voice of someone whose advice I would readily accept without some further explanation. Would you start deleting files, creating new ones, and giving them access permissions without knowing what you are doing or why? I understand what he has suggested and it does seem superficially to be sensible, but it is not the way that bug fixes should be promulgated.

        Additionally, if AC does have your best security interests at heart, why doesn't he raise it as a genuine bug with TAILS, and link the reference to the bug report in the post that they made? Personally, I'd prefer to trust TAILS rather than a single post by an AC who has no credibility. YMMV.

        If the bug exists, it would be far better to submit the information as a normal story submission, and then we can get it to the front page quickly and disseminate it to all who need to see it. The method chosen by this AC might limit the information to those who are interested in legal matters in the UK, or have an interest in Safari or Google. Placing it in this thread means it will undoubtedly get modded down by somebody limiting its visibility yet further.

        • (Score: 0, Flamebait) by Hairyfeet on Sunday March 29 2015, @04:24PM

          by Hairyfeet (75) <{bassbeast1968} {at} {gmail.com}> on Sunday March 29 2015, @04:24PM (#163842) Journal

          Riiight, because that really works which must be why Linux has more vulnerabilities than Windows [betanews.com], with Gentoo Linux beating even IE in number of bugs [zdnet.com] while only 2 MSFT programs even cracked the top twenty.

          I probably shouldn't say I told ya so...awww fuck it, I TOLD YA SO, I told ya that "many eyes" is nothing but an "is ought" fallacy where one assumes because the code IS on a server somewhere that somebody with the skills to do a low level code audit OUGHT to have checked it by now but guess what? Those people have 6 figures jobs working on THEIR code, they don't have time to check YOUR code. I've also said for years Linux was skating by on security by obscurity and now them chickens are coming home to roost, we've seen the BASHing that is Shellshock, we've seen billions blown fixing Heartbleed, and now that the sprawling mess that is systemd is spreading like a cancer? Heartbleed and Shellshock will soon look like good times.

          But just remember I warned ya, I said that just because it was free doesn't mean you should take alpha quality crap, that you should act just like you bought it and demand better, hold the devs like Lennart "Can't get systemd working on ARM...shipping anyway" Poeterring to the fire, but did anybody listen? Nope all I heard was "works for me". Well it looks like it works for the malware writers, NSA, and anybody else that wants to pwn you like the head bull in the showers...congrats, enjoy the smackdown while Windows 10 looks to be even more secure than Windows 8. Wow, who would have thought that it would end up with Windows and IE being the more secure choice?

          --
          ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
          • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Sunday March 29 2015, @05:54PM

            by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Sunday March 29 2015, @05:54PM (#163885) Journal

            Hairyfeet, can you corroborate the bug? If so, then let us in on it. Or are you suggesting the we should all go around deleting files because an AC said so? Would you?

            I am really having a hard time understanding your argument. This has nothing to do with 'many eyes', or Poettering, or anything that you mentioned above, unless I've misunderstood. Nevermind, you keep using Windows because it is what you want, and others will keep using Linux because it does what they want.

            Oh, by the way, I know several 'secure and anonymous' Linux-based distros that are readily available; TAILS, JonDo Live, Qubes OS, Whonix to name some. What is the free secure Windows version called?

            • (Score: 1, Flamebait) by Hairyfeet on Sunday March 29 2015, @10:04PM

              by Hairyfeet (75) <{bassbeast1968} {at} {gmail.com}> on Sunday March 29 2015, @10:04PM (#163963) Journal

              I showed you the evidence that the entire concept of Linux security, which is "many eyes make bugs shallow" is a total lie, hell heartbleed and shellshock showed what bullshit it was, and I ALSO show you not one but TWO citations that Linux has MORE exploitable vulnerabilities than Windows...and you expect me to do your damned work for ya and give a single fuck about Tails? Way to miss the forest for the damned trees!

              But then again that is what I've come to expect from Linux users, elitist bullshit, moving the goal posts, and the stench of failure [netmarketshare.com]. Hell even Shuttleworth has given up, says he won't put another red cent into Canonical, You got Google pulling a EEE [arstechnica.com] so that they can turn Android into another TiVo (which again, told ya so), and ya got systemd spreading like an ass cancer...NOW do you stand up and demand better? Hold the devs feet to the fire? Nope Linux users will do as they have always done, take shit and make excuses for it, right up until MSFT closes X86 with secureboot....and as of 2015? I say it couldn't happen too soon. Let Linux rot on little Pi boards in the corner as its been 22 years and things haven't gotten any damned better, same bullshit, same "works for me", same excuses, like BeOS and OS/2 its time to let the failed OS go. The only thing keeping Linux alive at all is servers and systemd is running most of the server admins off, I give it a couple years and MSFT will just secureboot servers and that will be that.

              --
              ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 29 2015, @08:26PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 29 2015, @08:26PM (#163934)

            Riiight, because that really works which must be why Linux has more vulnerabilities than Windows

            I'm willing to bet that both Mac and Windows have far more bugs that haven't been discovered because they're proprietary. The "many eyes" concept you deride has enabled people to spot many bugs, and also enables people to improve the code in other ways (or hire someone to do so), rather than begging some company to add the features for them. Free software is about freedom above all else, but it also has practical benefits.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:47PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 29 2015, @12:47PM (#163793)

        I think the spam moderation is very much deserved!

      • (Score: 2) by SGT CAPSLOCK on Sunday March 29 2015, @09:15PM

        by SGT CAPSLOCK (118) on Sunday March 29 2015, @09:15PM (#163941) Journal

        Heyyyy, so, I came to catch up on some stories on SN just in the middle of the night (for me) and I came across this comment about files being moved around in the latest release(?) of a Linux distro.

        The comment was posted in a story about Google being sued by Safari users in the UK so at first I was like, "whoa, what?" and I sat there and read the post a couple more times to try and figure out what was going on.

        I had no idea that he'd already posted this in another thread at all, as others have indicated might be the case. It was more like:

        1. I saw that AC was basically "warning" people about some file I-don't-know-what-it-does being moved in the Linux distro;

        2. I saw that the same post included information about another unrelated file, as well as an unrelated software package, and that there were vague hints that those things were also evil;

        3. I started thinking that AC might be a Nigerian prince because of their writing style.

        After thinking all of that stuff, I rushed to be the first person to mod it -1 SPAM. Huzzah! I did it! FIRST SPAM MOD!

        Anyway, that's how it was.

        No regrets. This "warning" about some Linux distro maintainers moving files around exceeded my "off topic" meter by such large amounts that I could only categorize it as spam.

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by TLA on Sunday March 29 2015, @01:03PM

    by TLA (5128) on Sunday March 29 2015, @01:03PM (#163797) Journal

    Any decision made in an English or Welsh court is valid only in England and Wales. Ireland/Eire has its own (Constitutional) court system (and legal system - in fact the Irish Constitution and the US Constitution share many features), and Scotland has its own completely separate system. Passing jurisdictions between England/Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland/Eire, requires a hearing in the receiving jurisdiction.

    Citation: 6 Anne c. 11, Anne c. 7, Acts of Union 1707

    --
    Excuse me, I think I need to reboot my horse. - NCommander
  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by wisnoskij on Sunday March 29 2015, @01:59PM

    by wisnoskij (5149) <reversethis-{moc ... ksonsiwnohtanoj}> on Sunday March 29 2015, @01:59PM (#163804)

    What? How does that many any sense?
    Google: "Ya, if you could just make it illegal for our customers to sue us when we break the law, that would be great."

    • (Score: 2) by TLA on Monday March 30 2015, @09:55AM

      by TLA (5128) on Monday March 30 2015, @09:55AM (#164144) Journal

      basically it's Google asking for a free pass, and to legitimise their own GOJF clause in their Terms of Use (which I doubt anybody has ever read since it was last spellchecked)

      --
      Excuse me, I think I need to reboot my horse. - NCommander