Yum, tasty gubmint cookies! On the EPIC_IDOF mailing list, Richard M. Smith says,
The Whitehouse.gov Web site is bugged! Apparently the Webmaster for the site has hired Webtrends to track visitors around the site using Web bugs and permanent cookies. Here’s the Web bug that I found on the home page of the Whitehouse.gov Web site (…) Similar Web bugs can be found on other Web pages at the Whitehouse Web site.
Before 9/11, the Clinton administration said this kind of Web tracking is a no-no for U.S. government Web sites [Link]. Because of the unique laws and traditions about government access to citizens’ personal information, the presumption should be that “cookies” will not be used at Federal web sites. Under this new Federal policy, “cookies” should not be used at Federal web sites, or by contractors when operating web sites on behalf of agencies, unless, in addition to clear and conspicuous notice, the following conditions are met: a compelling need to gather the data on the site.