Are You the Victim of Behavioral Target Marketing?
Have you spent time on the Internet searching for resources for your reunion, party, wedding, or another event and then found your e-mail in-box filled with spam from companies offering you everything from the perfect location to the perfect dress to sunglasses for your outdoor event? If so, you are the victim of behavioral target marketing. Behavioral advertising – the practice of tracking someone’s online activities to deliver targeted advertising – can raise potential privacy issues.
When you visit commercial web sites, those sites may place a "cookie" on your computer. A "cookie" is a small bit of information placed on your computer's hard drive that can later be read back by the business who placed it there. This is useful because the browser "remembers" bits of specific information, such as your choices when filling out a form or survey. Some cookies are temporary; others are permanent and you must remove them from your computer when you delete files.
Many cookies are relatively harmless and make web surfing easier, such as those that "remember" passwords for you. Others can lead to a serious invasion of your privacy and the collection of data you never intended to share. The Federal Trade Commission sued Sears/Kmart for tracking shoppers' every move without their informed consent, "monitoring almost all Internet use on their computer, including the sender, recipient, and subject of web-based email and information transmitted in secure transactions related to everything from online banking and prescription records to video rentals."
A recent form of behavioral marketing tracks purchases made with a debit card. Did you use your debit card to purchase a Big Mac for lunch? Of so, don't be surprised to receive coupons from McDonalds shortly thereafter. Three major east-coast banks are allowing marketers to track debit transactions made by their customers. Can other banks be far behind? The banks insist that your personal information is secure, but you never know. All it takes is one computer-savvy person to access your bank account and create havoc.
If you think you may be the target of unwanted behavioral marketing tactics, you can protect yourself, though you probably can't totally eliminate the problem. First, be careful about filling out and submitting random surveys and forms. If you do fill out a form, first read the disclosure information to find out if the cookie placed on your computer will be permanent or temporary. Then, as soon as you submit the form, run "Disk Cleanup" (found on PCs by choosing Programs, Accessories, Disk Cleanup) or delete cookies and temporary Internet files from your computer by going to "Tools" on the top menu bar and choosing Internet Options, General, and then Browsing History. If you don't know how to do that, or feel uncomfortable doing it, ask someone for assistance. You should get in the habit of deleting temporary files every few days. Doing so will free up space on your hard drive and help with Internet security issues. You should also be certain you have up-to-date antivirus software, some of which can detect unwanted or potentially malicious cookies on your computer.
The Internet is a wonderful tool that has streamlined our lives but it can be used for unethical purposes without our knowledge, so be careful when you are surfing.
When you visit commercial web sites, those sites may place a "cookie" on your computer. A "cookie" is a small bit of information placed on your computer's hard drive that can later be read back by the business who placed it there. This is useful because the browser "remembers" bits of specific information, such as your choices when filling out a form or survey. Some cookies are temporary; others are permanent and you must remove them from your computer when you delete files.
Many cookies are relatively harmless and make web surfing easier, such as those that "remember" passwords for you. Others can lead to a serious invasion of your privacy and the collection of data you never intended to share. The Federal Trade Commission sued Sears/Kmart for tracking shoppers' every move without their informed consent, "monitoring almost all Internet use on their computer, including the sender, recipient, and subject of web-based email and information transmitted in secure transactions related to everything from online banking and prescription records to video rentals."
A recent form of behavioral marketing tracks purchases made with a debit card. Did you use your debit card to purchase a Big Mac for lunch? Of so, don't be surprised to receive coupons from McDonalds shortly thereafter. Three major east-coast banks are allowing marketers to track debit transactions made by their customers. Can other banks be far behind? The banks insist that your personal information is secure, but you never know. All it takes is one computer-savvy person to access your bank account and create havoc.
If you think you may be the target of unwanted behavioral marketing tactics, you can protect yourself, though you probably can't totally eliminate the problem. First, be careful about filling out and submitting random surveys and forms. If you do fill out a form, first read the disclosure information to find out if the cookie placed on your computer will be permanent or temporary. Then, as soon as you submit the form, run "Disk Cleanup" (found on PCs by choosing Programs, Accessories, Disk Cleanup) or delete cookies and temporary Internet files from your computer by going to "Tools" on the top menu bar and choosing Internet Options, General, and then Browsing History. If you don't know how to do that, or feel uncomfortable doing it, ask someone for assistance. You should get in the habit of deleting temporary files every few days. Doing so will free up space on your hard drive and help with Internet security issues. You should also be certain you have up-to-date antivirus software, some of which can detect unwanted or potentially malicious cookies on your computer.
The Internet is a wonderful tool that has streamlined our lives but it can be used for unethical purposes without our knowledge, so be careful when you are surfing.
Comments
Post a Comment