Facebook Patent to Track Users Even When They are Not Logged In to Facebook

Looking on the bright side, if FB were given a very broad patent on this, it would mean that we could focus on just blocking FB's efforts and let their lawyers keep anyone else from doing it to us.

This is just another step in the privacy versus marketing arms race that started with simple things like cookies and web bugs. Those who care will block it and those who don't will become resellable data.

Tracking information across sites doesn't necessarily mean tracking information while logged out. They've publicly stated that the tracking while logged out feature was a bug. Also, this patent (based on the abstract) doesn't state anything about tracking non-users which is another issue highlighted in this blog.

You can certainly make a case that this patent might cover those features but it depends on whether or not you want to put your tinfoil hat on.

Already covered here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3062900

wonder how the world would be now if someone back in 60's patented looping constructs or programming for that matter. :|