Posted by: Paul.Christ
on Oct 27, 2009
Cookies Sound Sweet but They Can Be Risky (USA Today)
More than likely a large majority of people who browse the Internet know they are being watched or at least their computer is being watched . They know, for instance, that websites can follow where they go on a site, though users may not fully understand what type of information is being gathered. But while people know they are being monitored, few know what methods websites use to get their information. This story lays out one important way websites track users through the use of digital cookies. The story also offers ideas for protecting users when they visit sites using tracking information in ways that some may consider as being unethical.
Cookies track where you have gone online and are stored on your hard drive. The websites you visit tap into those cookies so they can tailor promotions to you or retrieve data such as your credit card information.
Most major sites have privacy statements discussing their use of cookies and other tracking methods but what percentage of visitors to a website, such as Amazon or Yahoo, ever read the privacy statement? Should these statements be more visible?
Posted by: Paul.Christ
on Jul 24, 2009
Highlighted Marketing Stories:
- The Web Knows What You Want (BusinessWeek) - This story offers excellent insight into methods online retailers use to predict what customers may want. While some readers may instantly tie such activities to privacy concerns, as noted below, these methods seem limited to only user activity on a retailer's own site and not tracking customers from one site to another.
But unlike the most controversial advertising technology, which tracks Web surfers' wanderings from site to site, many of these "preference prediction" methods limit their scrutiny to behavior on a retailer's own Web page. Much of the analysis looks simply at the patterns of clicks, purchases, and other variables, without including personal information about the shopper.
Are online shoppers becoming more aware of how they are being tracked by the sites they visit or are most still not very in tune with how their online behavior is monitored?
- The Domain Name Business (BusinessWeek) - Internet site names can hold tremendous value for the owners of the names and can cost a lot for someone who wants a name but does not own it. This story addresses these things and more.
Online property typically increases in value over time, particularly generic or descriptive domains that have the enduring, evergreen quality that drives traffic. Similar to traditional real estate, if you invest in the right virtual property, and hold on to it for a while, you will likely see a solid ROI.
For anyone starting a business I always suggest they look for the availability of the domain name first before establishing their business name. Do you agree?