Being somewhat more tech-savvy than most average 'net users, I thought I would interject the following:
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1. Be aware that, in most countries, the sharing of otherwise copywritten material, no matter the method, is still ILLEGAL.
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2. Be aware that, unless something changed overnight, properly trained law enforcement officials can trace your IP (as well as your MAC address in most cases) to you physical whereabouts. This means they can arrest you, detain you, even take your hard drive(s) for search; all for probable cause.
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3. Be aware that, in many cases, if information is being sent to another site or host in one instance without prior notice, it is most definitely happening on multiple instances with mixed content information being transmitted, most of the time more personal than you think. This can be any number of things ranging from what you download or click on, to how long you stay on a specific page; anything that can be measured or tracked (such as your internet browsing history).
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4. Be aware that javascript is by NO MEANS SECURE in and of itself; this means that if information is being relayed, it can be intercepted.
These are standard items that most people, even the most ignorant, should be made aware of and agree to as terms of use. If they are not already there as terms of use, then they should not be allowed without the prior consent of those persons already subscribed and/or using the service.
So, IMHO, please either restrict the info being mined, remove it, or make it perfectly clear what is being sent, who is getting it, and make it something that must be agreed upon in order to continue use. It's really that simple.
I am NOT trying to scare anyone; just trying to open some otherwise clouded eyes.
All of this is a moot point if the javascript doesn't send IP info (I have yet to look for sure for myself but will reply here when I do). I encourage more people to be aware of the code that lies behind every page that they visit - that's where malicious stuff can take place with or without a site host's knowledge. Make sure you browse with at least an anti-virus program of known strength and stability, and that you also check to make sure it's (the page you visit) not a spoof or phishing attempt.
Just my two pennies.
