How We are Tracked Online

We are always being tracked when we are online. Although companies like Apple and Google have vowed to make privacy a more important objective, there has hasn’t been substantial evidence of them doing so. However, other companies, such as the search engine company DuckDuckGo, have made privacy and non-tracking web surfing a mandatory standard.

Although there are options to turn off tracking, many large companies still create data profiles on us. One way companies do this is through cookies. Cookies consist to two types. One type of cookie is a session cookie. Session cookies allow us to navigate different webpages without having log in multiple times. Session cookies are automatically deleted after we log off websites.

The second type of cookie is called a persistent cookie, which can be either good or bad. These cookies are placed in our computers when we visit certain websites. They are used primarily for firms to track our browsing history. Persistent cookies are the reason why we see ads of the same shoes we were just browsing moments before.

Another method of tracking is called browser fingerprinting. When we visit websites, the web server has the ability to transfer JavaScript code to our browser for our browsers to execute locally. That means the code is executed on our personal devices and that code can be used to collect data on installed extensions, browser types, time zones, etc. This data is then used to create a data profile for the user. Browser fingerprinting removes the need of creating and storing cookies to track and identify web users. This way, different websites can recognize who you are solely based on your browser fingerprint. Furthermore, browser fingerprinting can identify users even if they used VPNs that hide their IP addresses.

We way we are tracked online allows companies to know our gender, location, interests, and tastes in music and TV shows. This data is then used to create individual profiles which are then sold to other parties. This data helps companies assess how reliable and how likely a costumer is to spend money. Furthermore, the marketing industry uses this data to generate personalized ads.