Lurking Beneath the Surface: Hidden Impacts of Pixel Tracking

Both cases highlighted the use of third-party tracking pixels, which enable platforms to amass, analyze, and infer information about user activity.

Metadata
Provider: 
FTCFTC
URL: 
https://www.ftc.gov/policy/advocacy-research/tech-at-ftc/2023/03/lurking-beneath-surface-hidden-impacts-pixel-trackinghttps://www.ftc.gov/policy/advocacy-research/tech-at-ftc/2023/03/lurking-beneath-surface-hidden-impacts-pixel-tracking
Retrieved on: 
Saturday, March 18, 2023
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Tags: 
Online, Dark, Security controls, Marketing, GoodRx, Markup, Privacy, Blog, Federal Trade Commission, JavaScript, Risk, Advertising, OPP, Title 21 CFR Part 11, Consumer, Milk, Acts 18, DuckDuckGo, CFR, Research, Name, Others, FTC, Online and offline, Pixel, Social media, Technology, Method, Disclosure, Health, Business, Feather, BCP, OGC, Thought, Fire sale, BetterHelp, Egg as food, Injunction, HTML, Data collection, Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914, Supermarket, Security, Targeted advertising, New York City Office of Technology and Innovation, Mobile phone, Television, Online shopping, Cryptocurrency, Dietary supplement, Typesetting, Hazardous waste, BC, Facebook, Industry
Summary
Key Points: 
  • Both cases highlighted the use of third-party tracking pixels, which enable platforms to amass, analyze, and infer information about user activity.
  • Tracking pixels have evolved from tiny, pixel-sized images on web pages for tracking purposes to include a broad range of HTML and JavaScript embedded in web sites (and email).
  • [8] Companies who are interested in pixel tracking must first choose a pixel tracking provider.
  • One way to monetize pixel tracking is for companies to use the tracking data collected to improve the company's own marketing campaigns.
  • Traditional controls such as blocking third party cookies may not entirely prevent pixels from collecting and sharing information.
  • Pixels are widely considered an industry standard tool, but the GoodRx and BetterHelp examples show that they may collect sensitive data.
  • *Some pixel tracking methods ostensibly attempt to remove personal information but may in fact still leak enough information to identify an individual.
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