| I. INTRODUCTION | | | | AOL is logging users' search queries, Google mail is |
| Internet seems so attractive with many freebies -- | | | | scanning users' emails. Recently, Facebook has |
| free search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, Lycos, | | | | launched the beacon tracking service, which has |
| and AOL; free encyclopedia like Wikipedia; free email | | | | caused much controversies. FriendFeed, a new social |
| accounts like Google mail, Hotmail, and Yahoo mail; | | | | network service provider; the four founders were all |
| free social networking sites like Facebook, Hi5, | | | | team members at Google and helped to launch such |
| MySpace, Yahoo!360, and Google Orkut etc. | | | | products as Google Maps, AdSense, Google mail, and |
| However, have you ever heard the saying that there | | | | Google Groups. They have brought their expertise to |
| is no such thing called a free lunch? Have you think | | | | a slightly different area, Social Network Aggregation. |
| about how these companies survive if all the services | | | | It collects content from multiple social network |
| are free? The following information may bring you | | | | services, and helps a user consolidate multiple social |
| the facts: | | | | networking profile into one profile. |
| - Google 2006 revenue: 10.60 billion USD | | | | In this paper, we will explore how do you divulge |
| - Yahoo 2006 revenue : 6.43 billion USD | | | | yourself intentionally, e.g. during email account |
| - Facebook 2006 revenue: 50 million USD | | | | registration or online service application, analyze how |
| - Microsoft 2006 revenue: 44.3 billion USD | | | | tracking is done on the internet, e.g. using cookies, |
| - AOL 2006 revenue: 1.98 billion USD | | | | web bugs, and java scripts, and discuss various |
| Basically, all these companies are quietly tracking | | | | arguments on privacy issues and preventive |
| users in order to attract big fat advertising dollars. | | | | measures that users may take. |