Flyswat™  

Server List: See Stephen Martin's Hosts File List (Flyswat Group)

About Flyswat: www.flyswat.com

Flyswat™ is a search enhancement for IE. To install and use it, Active X controls and plug-ins in IE's security setting must be enabled. Flyswat may also be bundled with other applications (for example, it has been found with Neoplanet and Netcaptor). Each Flyswat installation has "an anonymous random number" (aka GUID) assigned to it. Users who continue to use Flyswat should at least make some of the settings tweaks noted in Flyswat Privacy Enhancements (below).

Privacy Information  

Privacy Policy: www.flyswat.com/privacy.html

"The flyswat service logs anonymous click-streams as users navigate the Web. This data has no personal or demographic information associated with it and will be considered only in aggregate form. flyswat uses this information for product enhancement and may also share it with our partners to use for product enhancement."

Privacy Contact: [email protected]

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Business Associates:  

Partners Include: AllBusiness.com, AudioREVIEW, ConsumerREVIEW, mySimon, NeoPlanet, Raging Bull, Red Herring, Snap, and XOOM.com.

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Flyswat Privacy Tweaks  

In the Flyswat FAQ www.flyswat.com/faq.html#16 under the heading "Does Flyswat Have Additional Privacy Features?" directions are given for changing the following three settings to provide "Privacy Enhancements":

1. "Each flyswat install has an anonymous random number assigned to it. This random number enables you to customize flyswat features and content. There is nothing to associate the random number to an individual. If you do not want to customize flyswat with your preferences, you can set this value to zero."

Note: The FAQ gives directions on how to "Disable Customizations" but this does not turn off tracking: "The flyswat system continues to maintain limited, anonymous records to properly bill its partners and keep the flyswat service free to consumers. These records cannot be linked to any form of user identification, or any other browsing activity outside of a single user session."

2. "If the flyswat application on your computer ever fails, it will automatically send a diagnosis back to the flyswat server, with information about the type of system and state of usage when flyswat failed." The FAQ gives directions on how to "Disable tech support data submission" that will suppress these transmissions.

3. "Some web sites send personal information via query strings or post data - this data may be transmitted through flyswat but we do not store it." The FAQ gives directions on how to "Disable POST and GET data submission" in insecure forms.

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Uninstall Flyswat  

There are currently no utilities to uninstall Flyswat. Uninstall via the "Add/Remove Software" window of the Windows Control panel.

Current: July 05-00

Quoted excerpts are © Flyswat unless otherwise noted.

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