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EzinePrivacy.org |
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How Do Ezines Track Us?What Can Ezines Track?Ezines can track two things:
Open Rate"Open rate" measures how many of your emails are actually opened and read, as opposed to being deleted. Click-through"Click-through" measures which links generate clicks. Misuse of MeasurementBoth of these metrics can be misused by not only tracking aggregate information but by linking the information to Personal Identifying Information (PII). This identifies which subscribers have opened the email and which subscribers have clicked. This linkage to individual subscribers is inappropriate and a violation of subscriber privacy. HTML Email: The Way to Track UsEzines track us using tricks of HTML email. We'll explain these here. But before we do that, it is important to understand that the almost all tracking is performed HTML email. Plain text email cannot (easily) track you. One way to avoid being tracked is to select plain text email if you have an option. HTML Format or Plain Text FormatEzines can be sent in two different formats:
Plain TextPlain text contains just simple characters. Plain text email cannot be "formatted". It cannot have bold characters, or different size characters. And it cannot contain "embedded" graphics. HTMLHTML email uses HTML code. The email reader (e.g., Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Hotmail, etc.) interprets this HTML code to "format" the email. HTML email can look "nicer". One of the things HTML email can do is to "embed" graphics. The tracking systems use this feature to track you. How HTML Email Tracks Open RatesIn order to track you, HTML email "codes" the graphics. For example, suppose the HTML email includes a graphic that is the company logo. Suppose that graphic is called "logo.gif". When the email is sent, the graphic isn't actually sent with the email. Instead, the email includes a "request" to get the graphic from the company server. Now if the request was just for "logo.gif" it wouldn't be a problem. But instead, the HTML can be coded to request "logo.gif?BobJones". This tells the server to send "logo.gif". But it also let's them track that the request is for BobJones. Oh, one more thing. The graphic isn't actually requested until you open the email. So, when you open the email, your computer requests the graphic and sends the code and the computer on the other end knows you opened the mail! This technique is called a "web bug". How HTML Email Tracks Click-throughIn order to track your click-through, HTML email "codes" the links. And it hides the codes. For example, consider this link: It looks like a simple, ordinary link. What you don't realize is that it is "coded". It looks like the link goes to "EzinePrivacy.org". But if you look closely (for example, look in the lower left corner as you hover over the link) you'll see that the link is actually to: EzinePrivacy.org?BobJones HTML lets the email hide the extra "code" that tells the system who is linking. What This MeansWhat all this means is that it is possible for HTML email to track you. It can track when you open your email. And it can track each link you click. Not everyone using HTML email uses these techniques. And not everyone using these techniques tries to track individuals. Some just track "in aggregate". They know how many opened and how many clicked, but not "who opened" and "who clicked". But, when they track you, when they track your actions, and when they keep a database of what you've done and when you did it, we consider it a violation of ezine privacy. Resources
The Web Bug FAQ |
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