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View Full Version : Beware Youbet Tracking Video Upgrade


linrom1
06-04-2005, 10:38 AM
This is supposed be a safety upgrade feature that Youbet is now forcing its members to perform in order to watch video. I informed Youbet that I'll be canceling my account.

Here is just a little excerpt from Microsoft about this security feature. Pay special attention to the part about UNIQUE ID.

Communication with Streaming Media Servers
Windows Media Player allows you to play back content that is streamed to you over a network. To provide this service, it is necessary for Windows Media Player to communicate with a streaming media server. These servers are typically operated by non-Microsoft content providers, and are not under Microsoft's control.

During playback of streaming media, Windows Media Player will send a log to the streaming media server or other Web server(s) if the streaming media server requests it. Typically, content providers generate statistics from the logs to help them improve the quality of their service. Other uses include billing and advertisement tracking. The content provider may instruct Windows Media Player to simultaneously forward the log to additional sites. It is the responsibility of the content provider to disclose to you whether the logs are shared with third parties and how the logs are used.

The log includes such details as: connection time, IP address, operating system version, Windows Media Player version, Player identification number (Player ID), date, protocol, and so on. The purpose of the Player ID is to allow content providers to identify your connection. If a unique Player ID is sent, content providers will have the ability to correlate the information in your logs over multiple sessions.

JustRalph
06-04-2005, 10:56 AM
this is being done a thousand different ways already. This is nothing new. Just a different implementation...........

linrom1
06-04-2005, 11:03 AM
True, but once you upgrade, other media content providers will be able to track you. Without the upgrade, you won't have to worry about your media files calling home.

Tom
06-04-2005, 11:06 AM
Sounds like a bunch of BS to me. They have not needed this before, why now?

And why not other sources of video?

DJofSD
06-04-2005, 12:03 PM
Reminds me of something I read in the last month about Amazon. Apparently, they gather quiet a bit of information from people using their site even when just using it for general quiries and not purchasing. It was enough to get my attention so as to not use it any more nor click on any link that would take me to the site.

DJofSD

linrom1
06-04-2005, 12:19 PM
Apparently this security feature is only required to watch races from Great Britain because I was just able to watch US track feed without upgrading. This is precisely what I had asked their customer service: their answer that everyone must upgrade to watch any track feed appears to be wrong. Curiously, a nice lady at AmericaTab let me watch UK races in my inactive account without any security upgrade. So, it makes it even more curious why would that foreign content provider at Youbet require it in the first place. Somehow I don't think that Youbet is looking out for their customers

michiken
06-04-2005, 12:22 PM
1 Can configure your media player and turn off all of the options especially the one that says 'uniquely identify your player'?

2. I for one will never use a website that requires Internet Exploiter. Go Firefox!

I am GLAD that you will cancel your account and hope many others follow!

:ThmbUp: