Page 120 - digitalliteracy

6.1 Leaving a Trail on the Web

By themselves, cookies are not harmful. As we have seen, they can make it easier for you to
use the web. However, be cautious about cookies because you may not know what informa-
tion is being collected and how it may be used. For example, some websites do not stop col-
lecting information about you, even when you sign out of your account. They use a technique
called cookie profiling to “follow you around” and gather information wherever you go on
the web. They may sell this information to a third party, called a data aggregator, which
makes money by collecting and compiling data and information about people from the web
and selling it to others. Aggregators can create a profile of you and your buying habits over
months or even years. The profile may include information about your age, income, and even
your sexual orientation, with amazing accuracy. Marketers then use the profile to create pop-
up ads on your browser to display products that may be of interest to you (“Cookie Profiling,”
2013). As discussed in A Closer Look: See Your Electronic Trail, you might find clear evidence
of this once you start looking for it.

Cybercriminals can also steal cookies to acquire your credit card information, Social Security
number, user names, passwords, and bank information. Permanent cookies also can accu-
mulate on your hard drive and slow down your computer system. If your computer does not
seem to be responding as fast as it used to, you might try clearing temporary Internet files. For
instructions, refer to the Solving Computer Technical Problems section in Module 3.

Remember that if you delete permanent cookies, your actions may clear your stored pass-
words, credit card information, or the options you previously chose for specific websites. You
will then have to reenter this information when you visit these websites again. It is always
important to save your log-ins and passwords somewhere, such as in a hard-copy printout or
a specialized password management software program.

A Closer Look: See Your Electronic Trail

Want to see your cookies in action? Try this experiment: Just for fun, browse for a hotel in a
vacation spot you would like to visit. Try a couple of websites such as Travelocity and Expedia
and compare prices for a few different hotels. Then, if you have one, open your Facebook
account. Do you notice any hotel advertisements?
As an alternative, go online and search two or three websites for an automobile or major
appliance such as a washer or dryer, refrigerator, or stove. Spend a few minutes comparing the
features of two or three models you like. Then wait a day and go online again. Do you notice ads
on your browser for the item you shopped or one similar to it? These activities demonstrate
that, from following your online trail, marketers have learned you are interested in a particular
locale or product. They then usually try to encourage you to book the lodging or buy the
product with their advertisements.
Reflection Questions

1. Do you find these ads useful, or do they bother you? Explain your reasoning.
2. Some browsers and security software allow you to block pop-up ads. What might be
some advantages and disadvantages of doing so?
3. Do you think dynamic pricing strategies are fair or unfair to consumers? Explain
your answer. Share an example of an instance in which you noticed a dynamic pricing
strategy or have been encouraged to purchase because of it.

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