15 Aug Algorithm Shows How Much Privacy Users Surrender When Clicking on Links
A researcher from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has recently developed an algorithm that shows how much data a user divulges when clicking on suggested links.
Mahsa Taziki’s patented system is able to determine the amount of information that will be disclosed on a particular link, and the impact it will have on the user’s privacy. The system then lets the user know if the privacy tradeoff is worth it. Her study revealed that 80% of clicks provide a utility-privacy tradeoff, and while some clicks are useful and don’t endanger privacy, some also do the total opposite.
Taziki is planning to make a browser extension for the system that will let users know how much liberties a website takes with their personal data. She says that ultimately the aim is to let users reap the benefits of online recommendations without compromising their privacy.
Source: Engadget
