Internet Tracking Debate

I’m back after the summer break and hoping to bring you some interesting thoughts this year on the current issues of the Internet, starting with Internet tracking.

It seems that Internet users are becoming savvier about covering their tracks while online.  It is common place for users to be tracked anonymously as they visit websites.  The tracking follows you from one website to another compiling information about you which is stored for what purpose who really knows.  More people are using technology that allows them to keep track of who is following them.  This gives users a sense of control.  Read more in the following article: “More Net Users Covering Their Tracks”.

Some of the tracking software being used (which is free to download) includes Ghostery and Adblock who are also increasing their usage.

More and more people are becoming increasingly uncomfortable knowing they are being tracked and that information is being collected and stored about them.  Companies say it is so they can send tailored personal advertisements, however, the issue of consent is the real key.  Even though there is no identifying information to the data they collect, do companies have the right to track you without you knowing they are doing it, what information they are collecting and how they are storing the data?  These are all extremely important questions as we grapple with modern communications.

Further, there are issues on the way companies’ link the shared information which potentially could allow users to become identifiable and disclosure policies which are unclear and not easily visible.

No one knows what will happen to this data in the years to come.  More clarity is needed so that users have a choice whether to be tracked or not.  What do you think?

Tags: Data Collection • Privacy • Surveillance