> Netscape is tracking everybodies search terms and their *IP* addresses.
> They now can assemble a database of what you are interested in and *who
> you are*!!!
Duh... everyone knows an IP address points to an ISP, not a specific
user. Maybe you are not aware that an ISP can have thousands of
subscribers.
Secondly - if you own a website you would know this - every website
you visit knows your IP address (or rather, your ISP's IP address).
If you visit a hundred websites a day, you have effectively given
your IP address (or rather, your ISP's IP address) to a hundred
webmasters.
Furthermore, your request actually travels through several servers
before reaching the destination. Any server your pass through will
know your IP address. Just typing google.com reveals your IP
address to about 20 different servers before even reaching google.
If you don't believe me type "tracert google.com" on the command
line ("tracert" stands for "trace route"). Each server you pass through
sees your IP address.
I hope this revelation won't stop you from surfing the net.
Let me just add:
Netscape redirects your request to their website to count how
many are sent to google and other engines. In the process, since
you pass through their server, their server sees your IP address
(or rather, your ISP's IP address).
What's the difference between revealing your IP address to
20 servers (without netscape) and 21 servers (including
netscape)?
I don't see any.
