artbytes26
Have you ever noticed that the ads that you see on social media and websites show the things that you are interested in? Is it a mere coincidence?
Would you be surprised if I tell you that it is not a coincidence at all? Yes! This is called social media ad targetting. Those ads are specifically delivered to you because the system figured that you are interested in them.
The question is, how did they know what you are interested in? Kinda creepy to think, right? How did now the things that they are interested in?
The text in the image may explain it a bit. But if you read it… it seems too scary to think that these websites are monitoring our activities on the web. One thing, the word ‘spam’ maybe too strong a word in this situation… well at least on some social media sites.
The first question is, how are these trackers downloaded into our computers? The answer is, ‘cookies!`. Those little files that WE ALLOW (Yes! We allowed them) the websites to place into our computers are actually gathering information about us! Sounds scary, right?
However, cookies were first intended in order for web site owners to improve user experience. With cookies, we generally would see content that we want, we don’t have to type again the information that we have already typed in similar forms.
On the other hand, another purpose of these cookies is for profiling and targeted marketing. But this is also good, we don’t get bombarded with ads that we don’t want to see. And advertisers finance social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Virily up and running.
But here is the scary part… there are third, fourth and even fifth party cookies that are intended to deliver trojan horses and backdoors!
To know more about web trackers, go to these links:
- https://www.cookiebot.com/en/website-tracking/
- https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/what-you-should-know-about-web-tracking-and-how-it-affects-your-online-privacy
- https://www.internetmarketinginc.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-cookies-a-google-story/
Ok… I think I have said enough scary information… but don’t fret… there are always solutions. One thing I can suggest right now is always clear your ‘Browsing Data’ from your browser.
In my next post, I will share with you how to go about this and how to protect yourself.
Credits:
Image source: Screenshot of a warning from my anti-virus.
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Question of
Have you noticed that the ads you see are those you are interested in?
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Yes
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Question of
Were you already aware about web trackers?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Do you think these web trackers are legal?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Would you share your idea on the comment on how to protect yourself from undesirable trackers?
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Yes
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No
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I’ve noticed this before. But I didn’t know the cause of this happening. That doesn’t seem right, but I don’t know how to handle it.
I know sites follow you practically around the web but due to my writing job I have to do a lot of research and that includes bouncing around many different sites.
I think there is a solution, but I have to check if they true. I mean there are ways to stop Google from following you.
Anyway, I think this is at least the second time you mentioned your writing job, is it something similar to virily, or is it a pay-per-article job?
A paying article job I put in job bids to clients and get work. I have an Amazon account but when I research product reviews I have to go out of my account to do that and put in Amazon links in the article. However, when I go back into my account the products I researched for the article are offered to me.
That’s quite an interesting job…
Doc explained it well, and many sites will tell you they are tracking you.
The truth is, I was expecting it when I was making this one. :D. I’m learning a lot from him.:D.
Literally, it is difficult to run from being tracked. The only prevention is not to access anything online. Or, don’t access log in websites.
People like me who have an Android phone are not immune to Google spying our activities in the name of delivering targeted ads
A sad reality. Do we have a choice? I’m using Chome on my phone right now. 🙂
Chrome loads pages speedily but there are browsers one can use whereby you can switch on private mode. The websites you visit won’t track you
Yup, I am using another browser when I do some searching… Also, I seldom use Google in searching these days… even in Chrome…
Google is on our heels 24/7. Google knows where you go, what you write about, at which restaurant you ate last night, and if you use Siri or Alexa they know what you say in your bedroom as well.
I am not sure if I can protect myself from these tech giants. I need to get rid of all gadgets .
Ok.. Time to send Alexa out of the room… Wait… I don’t have Alexa yet. Hehe.
That’s quite creepy to think though. Hehe.
Well… You can have your own smart assistant that would run offline, that would be good.
ok
so let’s talk about the concept. First off, if someone wants to track you they aren’t using cookies. I can track you 20 other ways very quickly. Cookies, simply make it easier to log into sites. They keep your personal information on our computer.
I can, once i gain control of your computer via other means, use the cookie data to steal your information.
But in and of themselves cookies are less of a risk.
Here is what i tell people.
1. change your password often
2. make that password complex
3. Never open an attachment sent to you in email or a link
I can do more damage with number 3. it is the most dangerous problem on the internet today.
Thanks for that clarification, Doc. There’s a lot of unnecessary scare-mongering goes on.
it is a two-way street. There is much to be afraid of, and much to not worry about. Anyone that thinks it can’t happen or won’t happen to them, isn’t paying attention.
True… whether we like it or not, we can’t completely get away from these cookies. We both get some benefits and risks at the same time.
I have a friend that works for one of the big cyber companies. He says that they have found more than 50% of the messaging sent on the internet contains malicious code.
(that is IM, email and honey pot style web sites).
Well said doc! I was actually expecting suggestions/advice like this from you. Thanks :D.
As I did this article, I found out that the first party cookies are not really dangerous… but I learned there are third-party up to fifth-party cookies are sometimes injected. And these are the ‘bad’ cookies that the Cookie Monster would not even want to eat! 😀
yes, we can argue the code name. The injected or what we in the security call unintended code, isn’t really a cookie.
Cookies are legitimate web services designed to help users. They are good!
malicious code – that is a really bad thing.
I am aware of this as the moment I search for a product an Ad on that product appears on different Sites. But so far I have not experienced any adverse effects of this tracking.
As I have mentioned… the good side is, we only see the products that we wanted to see…
But that is one effect of tracking. They monitor what you are searching for or where you are going on the web, tag your activity and show you only related tags…
Imagine this if there are no tracking cookies, you are living on the colder side of Canada and all the ads you see are about air conditioners. 😀