(January 27, 2012 at 3:59 pm)Doubting Thomas Wrote: I really want to know how badly it invades my privacy if they log my IP? Lots of websites already do that. Or maybe I'm just not understanding the situation.
We log your IP. It's standard for most services and most web servers. The main reason we do it is to ensure that people don't create multiple accounts, and to block spammers.
To be honest, how badly it "invades" your privacy depends very much on your internet connection. For example, I have a static IP at home, which means that my IP never changes. Most people have a dynamic IP, which means that the IP they use one day might be different the next. IP isn't a very accurate measure of who someone is.
At the end of the day, your ISP can usually track you anyway, dynamic IP or not. There are some exceptions, such as when using HTTPS and DNSSEC, but HTTPS isn't enabled on most sites, and DNSSEC isn't really supported at the moment.
In truth, the best way to protect your privacy online is to do the following:
1) Disable all cookies (or use a private browsing mode).
2) Never sign into an account on a service (disabling cookies should prevent this anyway).
3) Use an anonymising service like Tor.
...but even those steps have their disadvantages, and I can't guarantee your privacy if you use them.
