comScore Privacy Approach Under Spotlight

Sears Holdings has been accused of distributing comScore 'spyware' tracking all Internet usage - including banking logins and e-mail - without users' explicit consent. Computer Associates researcher Benjamin Googins and Harvard Professor Ben Edelman have each made separate criticisms.

The pair complain that every web site visitor who joins the Sears 'My SHC Community' installs software that intercepts all data transmitted to and from the user's system, and Googins suggests that when registering to join the community, there is nothing on the user's desktop to indicate that data about their every online move is being collected and sent to comScore for analysis. Edelman also charges Sears with burying crucial information about comScore's programme in fine print that many people never see.

Sears has denied the allegations. Larry Costello, the firm's Director of Public Relations and Communications, said the company goes to great lengths to describe the tracking process when it invites users to join comScore's panel. 'Clear notice appears in the invitation. It appears on the first signup page, in the privacy policy and user licensing agreement. We also provide additional notice of the tracking feature in the form of a welcome e-mail that is sent to everyone after they become a member.'

However, Edelman disputes this and lists numerous problems with the software's installation process, including the inability to cancel it. He also notes that comScore fails to alert users that they are installing RelevantKnowledge spyware, which he says is why the firm simply describes it as 'software' during the installation process.

'There's no good reason why users should share information about their browsing, purchasing, and other online activities,' concluded Edelman. 'So time and time again, comScore and its partners resort to trickery (or worse) to get their software onto users' PCs.'

Last summer, comScore launched a new tool to segment Internet users by their time online (www.mrweb.com/drno/news7108.htm ). The firm is on the web at www.comscore.com.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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