Tag

Cookies

All articles tagged with #cookies

Gemini Intelligence Rules Could Sideline Android Ad Tracking
technology10 days ago

Gemini Intelligence Rules Could Sideline Android Ad Tracking

An exhaustive catalog of ad-tech cookies shows hundreds of vendors collecting IPs, device IDs, location data, and user profiles with long-lasting cookies and frequent use of legitimate interest. The Gemini Intelligence requirements would largely block cookie-based tracking on Android devices, meaning most Android phones will miss out on targeted ads and tracking-based monetization, reshaping the mobile ad ecosystem and pushing advertisers toward alternative IDs or privacy-respecting methods.

Smart TVs Are Turning Into Data Traps for Ads
privacy23 days ago

Smart TVs Are Turning Into Data Traps for Ads

Smart TVs are increasingly becoming data-collection devices as a sprawling network of ad-tech vendors tracks viewers through cookies, device IDs, IPs, precise/non-precise location, and user profiles. The article catalogs hundreds of vendors with cookie lifetimes spanning from days to years, notes some vendors don’t use cookies or rely on other storage, and highlights pervasive cross-device tracking and potential privacy risks for households. Viewers may need to adjust privacy settings or limit ad tracking on their TVs to curb data collection.

Cookie Avalanche: Ad-Tech Trackers Spill Data Practices
technology1 month ago

Cookie Avalanche: Ad-Tech Trackers Spill Data Practices

The Register catalogs a massive roster of ad-tech vendors and their cookie usage, showing a wide patchwork of data collection and storage practices—from IP addresses, device IDs, and precise locations to user profiles and authentication-derived identifiers—often tied to long cookie lifespans (sometimes years) and various legal bases (consent or legitimate interest). A notable number rely on additional storage methods, and a few vendors claim not to use cookies, underscoring the sprawling, opaque ecosystem behind online tracking.

Audit Finds Major Tech Giants Persistently Track Users Despite Opt-Outs
technology1 month ago

Audit Finds Major Tech Giants Persistently Track Users Despite Opt-Outs

An independent audit finds that Google, Microsoft, Meta and a wide network of ad-tech vendors continue tracking users even after opt-outs. The report catalogs cookie and storage use across dozens of vendors, noting cookie durations ranging from days to years and data collected such as IP addresses, device identifiers, location data, browsing activity, user profiles, and consent choices. Some vendors do not use cookies and rely on alternative storage, while others justify processing via legitimate interest. Overall, opting out does not reliably stop pervasive cross-site tracking in the ad-tech ecosystem, underscoring ongoing privacy risks.

AI in ad tech leaves a cookie trail across the web
privacy1 month ago

AI in ad tech leaves a cookie trail across the web

The Register exposes a sprawling, cookie-heavy ad‑tech ecosystem driven by AI, listing dozens of vendors and the data they gather (IP addresses, device identifiers, precise locations, user profiles) with cookie durations spanning from days to years. While some vendors cite consent or legitimate interest, others rely on alternative storage or “no cookies,” underscoring the scale of online tracking and the resulting privacy and regulatory concerns.

Chrome Adds Hardware-Backed Session Keys to Thwart Cookie Theft on Windows
technology1 month ago

Chrome Adds Hardware-Backed Session Keys to Thwart Cookie Theft on Windows

Google rolled out Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC) in Chrome 146 for Windows, tying authentication sessions to hardware-backed keys (TPM on Windows, with macOS Secure Enclave support planned) so stolen cookies become useless; if a device lacks secure key storage, DBSC gracefully falls back to normal behavior. Early results show reduced session theft, and Google plans broader device support and enterprise integration while preserving privacy and avoiding cross-site tracking.

Alphabet strengthens online security with device-bound cookies for Chrome
market-news1 month ago

Alphabet strengthens online security with device-bound cookies for Chrome

Alphabet (GOOGL) unveiled a new cookie-protection feature called Device Bound Session Credentials for Chrome, using Windows’ TPM and macOS’ Secure Enclave to generate a non-exportable key pair and issue short-lived session cookies only after proving the private key to the server, aiming to stop malware from hijacking sessions as AI and other online threats grow. The move aligns with Alphabet’s cybersecurity priorities while the stock remains favored by analysts, with a consensus Strong Buy and a target around $377.90 (~19% upside).

Ad tech’s data train: a sprawling cookie ecosystem fuels AI training
technology2 months ago

Ad tech’s data train: a sprawling cookie ecosystem fuels AI training

The Register exposes a sprawling network of ad-tech vendors whose cookie and non-cookie trackers collect vast user data—IP addresses, device identifiers, location (precise and non-precise), profiles, and browsing activity—often for long durations and sometimes under legitimate-interest justifications. The piece highlights how this data ecosystem, plus storage beyond cookies, could be used to train AI models and influence ad targeting, raising privacy concerns over how much online activity is captured and stored across dozens of vendors.

OS age gates collide with an ad-tech cookie avalanche
technology2 months ago

OS age gates collide with an ad-tech cookie avalanche

The Register reports that OS-level age verification attempts are tangled in a sprawling ad-tech ecosystem that relies on long-lived cookies and other storage to track users. The piece catalogs numerous vendors and their data practices—collecting IPs, device IDs, precise locations, and user profiles—with cookie lifetimes spanning months to years. Some vendors claim not to use cookies or rely on alternative storage, but the overall landscape shows pervasive data collection that undermines robust age checks and raises privacy concerns about how age gates are implemented and monitored.

The ad-tech cookie web: a comprehensive snapshot of rivals' tracking data
privacy3 months ago

The ad-tech cookie web: a comprehensive snapshot of rivals' tracking data

The Register compiles a sweeping inventory of third-party ad-tech vendors (TCF and others), detailing each vendor's cookie usage, durations, and data collection practices. The list shows cookie lifetimes ranging from days to multiple years, and data collected including IP addresses, device identifiers, location data, user profiles, and authentication-derived identifiers. It notes whether vendors use other storage, and whether they rely on legitimate interests or consent, with several vendors not using cookies or using alternative storage. The piece underscores how pervasive and varied online tracking is across the ad ecosystem.

App Store apps leak user data to global ad-tech networks
technology4 months ago

App Store apps leak user data to global ad-tech networks

A report shows a large swath of apps in the App Store transmit users’ data to a sprawling array of advertising and tracking vendors. Collected data include IP addresses, device identifiers, probabilistic IDs, location (precise and non-precise), browsing and interaction data, and user profiles, with many vendors using cookies for extended periods (months to years) or other storage. Consent models vary, some vendors claim legitimate interest while others state they don’t use cookies, and privacy policies differ across providers. The result is data flowing from millions of users to numerous ad-tech networks, underscoring privacy concerns about cross-app data sharing and the transparency of storage and consent practices.