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janewm
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Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject: Bookmarks · Quote · Edit · Delete · IP


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Okay, I have a Bookmark question.

I have bookmarked sites for easy access. There are plenty of items in my Favorites. What I want to know is:

Having bookmarked a web site, do they have access to my computer information? After all, this is a direct link to them.

Jane

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Sheila
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Joined: 23 Nov 2006
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Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject: · Quote · Edit · Delete · IP


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Jane,

Bookmark the site when you are not logged in.
Other than that I'm sure someone will answer you.
Take care and God Bless,
_________________

"You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.” ...
"Henry Drummond"

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novice57
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Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 390
Location: Nebraska

Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:44 pm Post subject: · Quote · Edit · Delete · IP


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Jane

A bookmark is a "link" to the website. In html that simply means an address that the browser is directed to. If you click the "Back to top" link when reading a post you are doing the same thing, only the address is within the current page. The bookmark is no more than that, and gives no access to your computer. You may be thinking of "cookies" that are set by websites on your computer.

Websites, such as this one, set "cookies" that track a minimal amount of information about your visits to the site. This is how the site knows which posts you have read and which you haven't. If you use the "remember me" function of any website you are using a cookie from that site that then lets the site know who you are when you return. Cookies are very small data files, usually less than 2kb, and can not deliver much information.

Sometimes cookies are used to collect demographic data about the visitors to the site, but this is limited to the zip code of your ISP, your browser type, and the OS that you are running. Web sites will use this data to better present information and advertisements that are suitable to visitors that fit your demographic profile. This is hardly considered an invasion anymore, as your bank freely shares more information about you than that, including your spending and saving habits. As long as the subject isn't personally identified, and is only linked to a group, this is not considered an invasionary marketing method.

Cookies are probably the most misunderstood part of surfing the web. Many people fear them and block them entirely, which means that they will have to sort through the pages of posts on a site like this while comparing the dates and times of each to see which are new. They are also less likely to really enjoy their experience at a site like this because of the work involved. Cookies can written to be somewhat malicious, but these are unlikely to originate directly from the website that you are visiting. Simply setting your browser to only accept cookies from the originating site and to clear the data when you close it is more than sufficient security. For a cookie to be a real threat, it would have to be of an unusually large size for the data type and would be flagged by your virus or spyware detector.

Your spyware detector will list any cookies that it finds when scanning. This is more for marketing their product than it is for your security. If the scanner never showed you anything you would be unlikely to buy it again, or the price would have to be lowered. Everyone who surfs will have cookies on their system and listing them makes the scanner appear to be protecting you from something.

In truth, if you delete everything that the scanners find you will discover your browser to be very dumb about all of the sites you frequent and you will continually have to rekey the information. Should you somehow pick up a keylogger virus, entering the data in this way will make sure that your information is compromised.
_________________
"Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before."

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janewm
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Joined: 01 Dec 2006
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Location: Florida

Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:45 am Post subject: · Quote · Edit · Delete · IP


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Keith,

Thank you. I do know the difference, I an leary of cookies, less now that you have explained them to where I understand. I was just wondering if the the bookmarked links could have activity because they are a link. But I understand what you said and now don't worry about it. I appreciate your taking the time to put it in plain language for me. I have copied it for future reference.

Jane