Web of Trust is back!

WOT is back! - Are you going to use WOT again?

  • Yes

    Votes: 5 6.7%
  • No

    Votes: 57 76.0%
  • Will wait

    Votes: 13 17.3%

  • Total voters
    75
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W

Wave

Hahahah they can forget it if they think I'm gonna put my trust in them and recommend them again after what happened last time... They messed up badly, I felt so foolish for recommending them after I heard about what happened, not making the same mistake again.

But good luck to them
 

Jack

Administrator
Verified
Staff Member
Well-known
Jan 24, 2011
9,377
Here is the official announcement: - We’re back! – Web of Trust Blog -

--------------------------------------------
Dear users,

WOT is and always has been about protecting users from dangerous sites and the threats they pose. After taking the WOT add-on off the extension galleries for some much-needed upgrading we are happy to announce that we’re back with a strengthened product, team, and are fully dedicated to making WOT the best and reliable security tool we can.

What happened

It was brought to our attention that our data anonymization techniques were not sufficient. In response, we immediately took our extension off several add-on galleries while we investigated the issues through a security overhaul to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. We are proud to announce that after over 6 intense weeks we have created a new version and boosted our anonymization techniques to protect our users.

What’s coming

We are excited to introduce some exciting new features and changes to WOT from a product standpoint as well as a focus standpoint. The threats of today have shifted from what they were 10 years ago when we first launched, and it’s time to adapt. WOT is the natural fit in every user’s security suite next to an antivirus, as it protects users from threats that only the human eye can spot. You, our dedicated community, have powered WOT for more than a decade, and we’re proud to serve you.

After a lot of internal searching and hard self-review, we’ve come to the realization that we need to make some changes to WOT as a product for it to remain essential over the next 10 years. We have been developing a strategic product plan internally and soon we’ll be sharing our plan with you in order to bring you into the loop with what’s coming.

We’ve just released a new version of WOT on the Chrome extension gallery which already has several major code updates in order to protect our users privacy and an opt-out option from the user Settings, for users who do not wish to share data with us but still want to have easy access to WOT.

We’re looking forward to making the web a safer place with you.

Sincerely yours,

WOT Team
 

Jack

Administrator
Verified
Staff Member
Well-known
Jan 24, 2011
9,377
I've always liked this add-on, however the developers are not transparent at all. And the Privacy Policy, while it has been updated, it still leaves place for abuse from the "WOT team" - Privacy Policy | WOT (Web of Trust)

Also, it's interesting to see how the Opt-out process works:

Even after providing your consent to this Privacy Policy, you are entitled to change your mind. If you do, you may opt out of the data collection and sharing process related to your WOT app or extension, by changing the options selected in the “Settings” menu, so that the “Real-time Protection” option is set to “Off”. After you opt out, we will no longer collect and share your data in connection with your use of the WOT app or extension.

What this means is that if you want to opt-out of "Data sharing", you need to disable the Real-Time Protection, but if you do that the WOT icon will stay gray when you visit a site (even if is dangerous or not), and no rating will be shown in the Google/Bing/Yahoo Search Results.

1.jpg

2.jpg


Basically, WOT without the "Real-Time Protection" is useless, so you have an option either use the add-on and share you data or "opt-out" and have an useless extension. I think I will chose the 3rd option, not installing it.
 

AtlBo

Level 28
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Dec 29, 2014
1,711
WOT right now is like listening to the BeeGees sing Stayin' Alive. The song is TERRIBLE, but the words "stayin' alive" do make sense, just like the initials WOT make sense. WOT, which stands for Web of Trust, was the first of a super important concept kind of user self-protection, where the web community contributes to its own security. For sure money pressures have grounded the project, and, as Jack points out, this statement of policy change is not enough or in any way the answer. However, I really believe WOT will emerge at some point through the other side of all of this and be back to what it was before. Until then we listen to the BeeGees from them.

Yep, WOT is important, like Bailey Bros. Building & Loan in "It's a Wonderful Life". That's why I'm sure someone or a group will come to the rescue...
 

jackuars

Level 27
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Jul 2, 2014
1,688
We’ve just released a new version of WOT on the Chrome extension gallery which already has several major code updates in order to protect our users privacy and an opt-out option from the user Settings, for users who do not wish to share data with us but still want to have easy access to WOT.

Opt-out?? Allright, where do I find this?

Edit: I found your above post. Thanks...
 
R

Ray Redbad

"The threats of today have shifted from what they were 10 years ago when we first launched, and it’s time to adapt."
Only 10 years? That soooooo instills confidence.

Read: "We got away with it for so long."

"It was brought to our attention that our data anonymization techniques were not sufficient."
They are so full of it. That was brought to their attention in many professional and public venues ages ago, practically from day one. Their response was always the "meritocracy" defense.

Unchecked meritocracy quickly morphs into egomaniacalism as it did in WOT as evidenced by those thugs given control over the "Mass rating" tool using public IP blacklists and forum moderation where victims were not only dismissed but scorned if their posts weren't deleted altogether.

I don't care how the WOT Team did its "adapt" - there is NO redemption from their history.
 

jamescv7

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Mar 15, 2011
13,070
WOT

The concept is good.

The reliability and efficiency is existed since you have community ratings + third party sources combined into one.

But the problem is privacy collection and reputation, although some users will not take it seriously however failed to maintain integrity

From the post regarding to the Real-time protection, then clearly considered as double edge sword.
 
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