Would someone care to explain to me why it is that anytime (and EVERYTIME) I go to read one of the articles at CNet News, it tries to download 'AvenueA' (known tracker)?

This is what I call BS 'Privacy!

Avenue A and a number of similar trackers are all part of low level marketing devices.Companies like CNet use them to obtain large quantities of info from vistors eg. what you look at and what you respond to or buy.
It also aids them in earnings with there Advertisers.
Avenue a ' is no real threat ,but you can turn off blocking notification if they are really bugging you.
Also remember Cnet is able to supply more sevices for free as their marketing numbers rise.
So it is a good thing as long as they protect us ,Question is whether you believe them to be Ethical????????

Yes, I'm quite familiar with AvenueA...and a few more.

There IS no question as to whether they're 'ethical' or not. They are NOT...and, by attempting to d/l something onto my system without my specific permission (notwithstanding my own 'prompters' to alert me), I would call them blatant liars. I do not appreciate being manipulated.

As you probably see (maybe not) I use Google (Gmail). I agreed to accept their ads...but it's part of the agreement and my choice wasn't taken away from me.

If a website has to resort to 'sneakiness', they get to the top of my SH_T list.

I'm so fed up with verbiage that skirts around the truths. I've been on the net since 1983, so there's very little that I'm not familiar with. The largest portion of the 'net' has developed into who is the best BSer...and I avoid those as much as I can.

Occasionally a website 'farms out' and they're not aware of things like AvenueA being used. I've had that happen...as soon as they became aware, it was GONE. I maintain my respect for those sites.

Sgt Quote...

"There IS no question as to whether they're 'ethical' or not. They are NOT...and, by attempting to d/l something onto my system without my specific permission (notwithstanding my own 'prompters' to alert me), I would call them blatant liars. I do not appreciate being manipulated"

I don't disagree with much of what you are saying.But,
Avenue is a relatively harmless tracker that helps many sites including this one defer costs.This is not a bad thing.
There is only a small cookie on your machine , the site you visit merely can check who you are, then prepare some items for you plus the info they want. eg. auto logon .etc.
If you are adamant about your privacy use an annonymous surfing software,because the bottomline is these things are here to stay.Some good some bad.I donot worry about the good ones.
I don't know if this is the right forum for this discussion,and I invite you to start a thread in the general discussion forum.

Not necessary to stir anything up...and I don't really mind the small contribution. I repeat...I only mind not being asked or told....

Anyway...I still use IE and CNet websites appear to be off-limits anyway. I can never read a thing on them since they made the change.

I hear what your saying!

BTW Don't be concerned about stirring the pot around here . These guys love a good rational debate, get's the juices going.

See you around.

The AvenueA tracker you mention is nothing but a cookie as far as I know, not what I would call a real threat if you ask me.

Anyone have a list of safe trackers so we know what to allow or not? Doulbleclick is another pretty harmless tracker but don't know where to find a compilation of others...