Yahoo and Google spy on you

Based on the weather reports and restaurant listings you check out online, Yahoo Inc. has a good idea where you live. Based on searches you've done, the Web portal might also know where you want to go.

"When you are online today, you've been labeled and tagged as this type of consumer in milliseconds," said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy. "All of a sudden you are exposed to a vast number of invisible salespeople who are peering over your personal details to figure out the best way to sell to you."

Elsewhere, online hangout Facebook is mining friends' buying habits, and major Internet portals have bought companies to expand their reach and capabilities for "behavioral targeting" _ all so advertisers can try to hit you with what they believe you're most likely to buy, even as doing so means amassing more data on you.

( And you just thought they were being nice giving you a free email address ....)
Read more Via Washington Times
and The Wall St Journal