1bn Internet users’ interests being tracked online by data sharing firm
December 21st, 2010 - 6:40 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Dec 21 (ANI): An Internet link sharing service, which tracks users interests via cookies, is now offering parts of the data it has on one billion internet users to marketers.
AddThis, the link sharing company, announced that it had created “a digital map of the connection between people and the things they care about most,” with the data it has collected.
According to ReadWriteWeb, the map, called AddThis Analytics, was created by tracking people’s online interests via cookies, small pieces of text stored on a user’s computer that tracks browser data.
While the knowledge that one billion people’s online interests are being tracked might be disquieting to privacy advocates, it could provide very valuable information for marketing interests.
As of right now, the information provided regarding users interests is vague, and AddThis currently only tracks things like a users interest in music and education, and it is only available through a somewhat general dashboard viewer.
However, that is subject to change, as AddThis says it will eventually offer more searchable and specific results on users’ interests.
“The new AddThis Analytics is the first of many products we plan to release, leveraging our scale and this new technology, to give more value back to our publisher network,” CBS News quoted AddThis as saying on its website. (ANI)
- Microsoft announces automatic upgrades for Internet Explorer - Dec 16, 2011
- Firefox plots system to stop firms from tracking you online - Dec 01, 2010
- Now websites can track your IP address - Apr 25, 2011
- Now internet users can watch who is spying on them - Mar 02, 2012
- JavaScript can allow anyone to access your web-surfing history - Dec 04, 2010
- Digital photos could put your kids at risk - Feb 10, 2012
- Virtual fingerprints can track computer users' movements - May 19, 2010
- How Flipkart broke India's online shopping inertia - Dec 09, 2011
- Now, group messaging apps on smartphones to connect 'real friends' - Mar 17, 2011
- Google launches 'cloud' service - Apr 25, 2012
- Facebook could be taken to court over alleged tracking - Nov 17, 2011
- Companies use information on networking sites - Aug 25, 2009
- World chess champ Anand launches Ramco OnDemand ERP 2.0 in Delhi - Sep 09, 2010
- Google, O-Zone tie up to provide free Wi-Fi access - Jan 12, 2012
- 8 in 10 web browsers vulnerable to hackers, criminals - Feb 19, 2011
Tags: analytics, cbs, cbs news, company announced that, dashboard, digital map, education, internet link, internet users, marketers, marketing, music, new technology, one billion, privacy advocates, small pieces