| Cookies, Clickstream Technologies, & Privacy |
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While people use the Internet, there can be a significant amount of data collection going on that they are not aware of. As one travels from website to website, one creates a trail of activity known as a clickstream. A user’s Internet Service Provider (ISP) maintains a record of the clickstream, and a large amount of it is also available to websites through the use of simple JavaScript code, CGI scripts, and other means. For instance, a website can automatically know what kind of computer is being used, what pages in the site have been visited, where the user linked from, and where the user links to when leaving the site. This information can be stored either on the server or on the client’s computer in small text files called cookies.
Websites can use cookies to store user preferences on the client machine. Then, when the user returns, the site can customize the user’s experience (the site’s appearance, content, functionality, etc.) based on those settings. Also, the website can improve its service by tailoring its advertisements based on information retrieved from the clickstream or user-provided data. However, various ethical issues have been raised regarding this technology. Much of the data collection occurs without user knowledge or consent. Most web users are unaware of the privacy policies set by the websites that they visit, so they are uniformed about how their personal information will be used. Because consumer data is extremely valuable to online marketers and advertisers, websites that collect this information often compile, analyze, and sell the data with little or no legal restrictions. This presentation delves into the privacy issues of clickstream capture technologies gathering information without user consent. |