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Thread: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

  1. #1
    Enthusiastic Downloader Post Crusader Accountability's Avatar
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    Default Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    This is taken straight from the code on the FA mainsite:

    <script type="text/javascript"> var vglnk = { api_url: '//api.viglink.com/api', key: '65d956b58785ef9fd27b896d25c9e1ba' }; (function(d, t) { var s = d.createElement(t); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? vglnk.api_url : '//cdn.viglink.com/api') + '/vglnk.js'; var r = d.getElementsByTagName(t)[0]; r.parentNode.insertBefore(s, r); }(document, 'script')); </script>
    According to the website of Viglink:
    How It Works

    If one of your users clicks through to a product or service and buys something, you earn a commission. You only pay us a share of what you earn.
    Powerful Analytics

    Track where users are going when they leave your site, understand which links and pages are driving the most revenue and to which merchants, and much more.

    This is a direct, blatant violation of the FurAffinity Terms of Service. I quote:
    Fur Affinity does not engage in active data collection of its users. Your personal information will not be resold or distributed except within the Fur Affinity network (main site, forums).
    Tracking where people go when they leave the site (using a third party, no less) is without a doubt active data collection.



    EDIT: Not disclosing this is apparently a violation of federal law.
    Most users do not notice on their own although we highly recommend you disclose it. VigLink does not change the user experience one bit. No links are inserted or removed on the page, there are no double-underlines or pop-ups, and mousing over a link looks "clean."

    The US Federal Trade Commission requires that you disclose use of affiliate links. More information and tools are available.
    Yeah. Ya dun goof'd.
    Last edited by Accountability; 08-31-2011 at 01:47 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by net-cat (2/27/2009) View Post
    FA is hardly the NSA, but we don't ignore security concerns.

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  3. #2
    Forum Legend Draconas's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    So dumbed down version, FA tracks you after leaving it or something?

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    Post Crusader moriko's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    dumbed down version: FA states it doesn't track where you go when leaving FA, nor even actively collect data within FA, but is apparently doing the first, which apparently is against Federal law if you state you are not doing it.
    Last edited by moriko; 08-31-2011 at 06:42 AM. Reason: made clearer

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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    inb4 "That was just one staff member's mistake. We didn't know and we're taking care of it."

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    a sentient shade of teal Forum Legend Seas's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Time to register free domains with offensive titles to generate interesting entries in the site logs.

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    The Smart Idiot Broke the 10K Barrier
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Quote Originally Posted by Seas View Post
    Time to register free domains with offensive titles to generate interesting entries in the site logs.
    Www.Neeristhegabenofthefurryfandom.com ?




  9. #7
    Say what now? Forum Legend Tiger In A Tie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Could this be a serious legal issue for fA? (Honest question)
    Quote Originally Posted by This is Tides View Post
    Tiger is the best person ever.

    This wasn't a paid statement; I promise
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    right of wrong 2,500 Club Evan of Phrygia's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Well, this is quite something...weird.
    010010000101111

  11. #9
    Ossumest Possumest The 5,000 Club OssumPawesome's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Okay, so I think I get it. But...

    Explain to me as if I were a 5 year old.

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    Post Crusader moriko's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Friend that offers you to play games with him using his games told you he totally wouldn't take your lunch when you aren't looking. Teachers say taking other kids lunches is bad and will get you in trouble! Friend totally takes your lunch. Actually I'm not sure that's good....

    Older than 5 version: You eat at a store that tells you they don't keep track of what your commonly chosen food is, does it without telling you and sells this info to other places you shop at. It's considered illegal for them to do such without telling you.

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    Tail first, THEN legs.... The 5,000 Club Stratadrake's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Aren't browsing habits generally not personally-identifying information?
    Track my pawprints, if you will....
    Stratadrake @FA, @dA, @FAC, @N

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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Odd piece of code I noticed in their (huge) .js script

    innerHTML=(h.feedback&&!k.gave_feedback?'<span id="feedback"><span class="give">Rate this link: <a class="feedback up" title="This link is good!">↑</a><a class="feedback down" title="This link is not so good.">↓</a><a class="feedback" title="I\'m not sure.">?</a></span><span class="gave">Thanks!</span></span>':"")+'Link added by <a href="http://www.viglink.com/?vgtag=lii">VigLink</a>';
    Which seems to contradict

    VigLink does not change the user experience one bit. No links are inserted or removed on the page, there are no double-underlines or pop-ups, and mousing over a link looks "clean."
    Anyway. I'm wondering if it tracks individual users, or just users as a whole.

    So when is someone going to tell us what's going on?
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    We need to update the Terms of Service to reflect the changes, as well as the clause there. I'm working on a minor update to that right now, and this was just added as a small test. The initial test of Viglink was done as a trial after they contacted us.

    Any user can opt out of Viglink, and the information on how to do so is here:
    http://help.furaffinity.net/article/...s-Viglink.html
    Last edited by Dragoneer; 08-31-2011 at 08:22 AM.
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Quote Originally Posted by Dragoneer View Post
    We need to update the Terms of Service to reflect the changes, as well as the clause there. I'm working on a minor update to that right now, and this was just added as a small test. The initial test of Viglink was done as a trial after they contacted us.

    Any user can opt out of Viglink, and the information on how to do so is here:
    http://help.furaffinity.net/article/...s-Viglink.html
    now heres the part where you have to OPENLY state to ALL USERS that we have this to allow them to know and thus opt out




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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    How does updating the ToS not immediately come to mind as a necessary prerequisite step for implementing such a service to any degree, even just a "small test"?
    The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.

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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Quote Originally Posted by Lobar View Post
    How does updating the ToS not immediately come to mind as a necessary prerequisite step for implementing such a service to any degree, even just a "small test"?
    only when they have common sense running




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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Quote Originally Posted by Dragoneer View Post
    Any user can opt out of Viglink, and the information on how to do so is here:
    http://help.furaffinity.net/article/...s-Viglink.html
    It'd be nice if you would tell people that you're going to track their data and let them opt out if they choose BEFORE you start doing it and not just after you get found out.

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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Not cool, law dictates you tell people about this kind of thing, and not only after you get busted.

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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Quote Originally Posted by Kishu View Post
    Not cool, law dictates you tell people about this kind of thing, and not only after you get busted.
    We had an update to the TOS that was not pushed live yet, but one we had planned to today along with some other small changes on the site. Anybody can opt out from the service at any time, and the TOS was updated to reflect that, as well as a news post.
    Follow @furaffinity and @faunited, our official convention, on Twitter for updates and more!


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    Cunningham's Law The 5,000 Club BRN's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    I like FA because things like this happen
    Quote Originally Posted by Fallowfox View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by LizardKing View Post
    my humble abode is sadly lacking in such magical devices

    Is it lacking in a cork?

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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Okay, Neer, you've told us now after we had to ask. Even though Federal Law states that you are supposed to make users aware of such tracking and third parties before/during your entire use of them. A step forward is that you told the forums, good. Now why have you not put up a memo or awareness banner on the main site where this is affecting the bulk of your users? Who are still illegally uninformed?
    I EAT SACRIFICIAL HEARTS


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    Arcade Snowmew Of Doom The 5,000 Club AshleyAshes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Quote Originally Posted by Dragoneer View Post
    We had an update to the TOS that was not pushed live yet, but one we had planned to today along with some other small changes on the site. Anybody can opt out from the service at any time, and the TOS was updated to reflect that, as well as a news post.
    I think the question people would like answered is this: Why didn't you do the TOS and news post thing BEFORE installing the get-rich-quick scheme?

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  33. #23
    Say what now? Forum Legend Tiger In A Tie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    How long has Viglink been in use on the site before anyone found out?
    Quote Originally Posted by This is Tides View Post
    Tiger is the best person ever.

    This wasn't a paid statement; I promise
    fA

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    The hell am I reading, here? Broke the 10K Barrier
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    The minimum ethical standard of disclosure for any change to a website that affects user privacy should be an advance notice of the change that details the exact nature of that change.
    The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.

         Now,
              let's go play, together...
       
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  36. #25
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    Default Re: Someone explain this, and someone explain it -now-

    Quote Originally Posted by AshleyAshes View Post
    I think the question people would like answered is this: Why didn't you do the TOS and news post thing BEFORE installing the get-rich-quick scheme?
    It's no "get rich quick" scheme. It basically just utilizes affiliate programs that sites like Amazon already offer, and other sites.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tiger In A Tie View Post
    How long has Viglink been in use on the site before anyone found out?
    It's been in testing for about five days.
    Follow @furaffinity and @faunited, our official convention, on Twitter for updates and more!


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