ActivePrivacy: Internet Privacy Software

About ActivePrivacy

ActivePrivacy is compatible with Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP and uses exclusive patent-pending technology to shield you from corporations who gather and sell your personal information while you use the Internet.

While you're logged in to the Internet, ActivePrivacy shields you from cookies that web sites try to place on your computer. Cookies make it easy for corporations to track your Internet activity, link you with data they already know about you, and gather even more of your personal information.

While you use the Internet, ActivePrivacy stays in the background, constantly scanning for potential privacy violations. As soon as a violation is detected, the offending cookie file is destroyed, and an alert appears in the onscreen display warning you about the violation.

With ActivePrivacy, you have the power to decide the level of your protection by blocking or accepting only certain sites.

Remember, every minute your Internet surfing enjoyment isn't protected by ActivePrivacy, corporations you don't trust are using your computer to store cookie files that can track you while building their databases of your personal information. Download today!

Using ActivePrivacy - Opening The Program

The Start Menu Icon:

2. Enter your user name and password. Please make sure you have typed them correctly as they are case sensitive.

Signing into ActivePrivacy

To sign into ActivePrivacy, you must first have an account and have ordered an ActivePrivacy subscription. If you still need to open an account with Ascentive or start your ActivePrivacy subscription, please click here.

After you have signed up for an ActivePrivacy subscription, you’ll be able to activate it using your account name and password. Open ActivePrivacy and enter in your account name and password, then click on Sign In.

Auto login check box: Check this box if you would like ActivePrivacy to automatically login whenever you start Windows.

Save password check box: Check this box if you would like ActivePrivacy to remember your user name and password for easier login.

NOTE:
If you do not remember your user name and password, you will need to contact our support staff to be able to use ActivePrivacy.

Please be advised that in order to protect your user name and password, we will require you to supply information about your order, such as: your Order Reference Number and the credit card used to order.

We will only email the information to the email address on file, so please be sure to keep your email address current with our company

Using ActivePrivacy - Quick Update

To begin using the benefits of ActivePrivacy, you will first need to tell it which cookies are okay to delete. There are three ways to do this:

• Manually deleting cookies one at a time through the Cookie Viewer.
• Adding the URL (web address) that placed the cookie on your computer to your Personal Blacklist and performing a PrivacyScan.
• Obtaining a list of known abusers from Ascentive by performing a Quick Update and performing a PrivacyScan.

Review:
First click Quick Update to receive the latest in privacy protection. Then click Privacy Scan to eliminate the already inhabited cookies. You will see the unwanted cookies being scrubbed (removed) from your system one at a time in your Recent Activity Window.

ActivePrivacy - Personal Settings Menu

1. Program Settings

• Show Splash Screen
  Check this option to have ActivePrivacy start with a splash screen. The splash shows the ActivePrivacy title and revision number (currently 2.2 Revision #130). This extra screen is completely optional and does not affect how ActivePrivacy protects you.
   
• Scanning Enabled
  Having this option selected will make ActivePrivacy automatically scan your computer on a set schedule. See section #4 to set the frequency.
   
• Start Minimized
  ActivePrivacy will start minimized, with this option selected, and you will not see the main console. ActivePrivacy is still running, even though you cannot see it. While ActivePrivacy is running, you can see its icon in your system tray (where your clock is). Click on the icon to show the main console screen again.
   
• Start ActivePrivacy when Windows starts
  Why take the extra step to manually turn on ActivePrivacy each time you restart your computer? Keeping this option checked means that your privacy is automatically safeguarded every time you turn on your computer.
   
• Tell me when my protection is out of date
  You should perform a Quick Update often to download the latest privacy information from Ascentive. This option will remind you that you have not done that in a while. It’s best to keep this option checked!
   
• Show welcome screen when ActivePrivacy starts
  The welcome screen is really for first time users only. This screen will let users activate their ActivePrivacy programs with registration information. Options are, “I have a username with ActivePrivacy registered!” “I have a username and need to register ActivePrivacy,” and “I want to set up a new username and password.”

• Auto Login
  If you have your password stored, this option will automatically log you into your privacy service as soon as the program starts.
   
• Save Password
  Type your password once and ActivePrivacy can remember it for you, with this option selected. Storing your password gives you the option to have ActivePrivacy automatically sign in too!

• If you use a proxy server, you will have to enter them here to allow ActivePrivacy access to the Internet. Ascentive does not have your proxy information. If you are behind a proxy server, you will need to ask your ISP or network administrator for assistance.

4. Scanning Timer Configuration

• The slider bar at the bottom sets the frequency of automatic privacy scans (see section #1 to see where to enable the scans). This helps protect your privacy automatically.

ActivePrivacy - Privacy Manager

1. Last Few Cookies
This is a list of the last few cookies that web sites have stored on your computer. You can use this list as an easy way to add new cookies to either your Trustlist or Blacklist. Just click on the site and press “Add to Trustlist” or “Add to Blacklist.”



Note: You may also manage your latest incoming cookies from ActivePrivacy’s main console. Click on the Green checkmark to add this site to your Blacklist. Click on the Red X to add this site to your Trustlist. You will see the green checkmark turn into a red X, and visa versa, when click on.

2. Personal Trustlist
By QuickUpdating regularly, you are assured of the latest available privacy protection.

However, if there are Internet sites you specifically trust, add them to your Personal Trustlist to modify your privacy protection. Sites in your Personal Trustlist are allowed to save and retrieve cookies on your computer.

  Use these buttons under the Personal Trustlist to add or remove sites.

3. Personal Blacklist
By QuickUpdating regularly, you are assured of the latest available privacy protection.

However, if there are Internet sites you specifically don't trust, add them to your Personal Blacklist to modify your privacy protection. ActivePrivacy scrubs cookies saved on your hard drive by sites in your Personal Blacklist.

  Use these buttons under the Personal Blacklist to add or remove sites.

ActivePrivacy - Using the Cookie Viewer

Click on the Menu button to access ActivePrivacy's Cookie Viewer.

The Cookie Viewer - Try it!

From this window, you can see and manage all of your cookies stored by either Internet Explorer or Netscape (click the buttons at the top-right to toggle between IE or Netscape).

Now you can inspect, examine and delete all cookies that web sites have placed on your system, one at a time.

What is an Orphaned Cookie?

Orphaned cookies are those cookies that do not have a local physical file, but the file entry is present in the Internet cache.

This means that the cookie was deleted, but your browser is still looking for it on your computer.

ActivePrivacy FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)

Why do I need ActivePrivacy?

As an ActivePrivacy user, you have the advantage of a private Internet experience and continual up-to-date, on-demand privacy protection from Ascentive. This helps you ensure that no evil corporations are tracking you every move online! Being a subscriber, you are part of a family of thousands who are enjoying a private Internet experience.

Why should I QuickUpdate? How often should I QuickUpdate?

Ascentive frequently adds web sites to our list of known abusers. By doing a QuickUpdate, you are assured to have the most up to date privacy protection.

Will this stop spam and popup ads?

ActivePrivacy is not a popup blocker or spam filter. However, by stopping corporations from monitoring your online usage and purchasing habits, you are taking steps to keep companies from being able to exploit you with targeted advertisements.

Should I delete all cookies? Are all cookies bad?

Cookies in themselves are not harmful. In fact, they were designed to enrich your online experience. Like many things, in time advertisers discovered a way to take advantage of cookie usage for their own goals. However, many, many other sites use cookies for beneficial reasons. Some email systems and order forms even require them.

What are the Personal Trustlist and Blacklist for?

Simply put, cookies that are added to your Personal Blacklist will not be accepted (or will be scrubbed out during a PrivacyScan). Sites that you add to your Personal Trustlist will not be removed.