"How to Protect Online Privacy in the Age of Pixel Trackers"

Tracking pixels, such as the Meta and TikTok pixels, are widely used by online businesses to track the preferences and behaviors of website visitors, but they are not without risk. Although pixel technology has existed for years, privacy regulations such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) have created new, much tighter requirements, making the practice of data harvesting via a tracking pixel controversial. Tracking pixels on a website makes website owners data controllers responsible for any data breaches they may cause, thus making pixel security a major business priority. A tracking pixel is a small, transparent image or piece of code inserted within an HTML page. The user's web browser downloads the HTML code and shows the website, which contains the tracking pixel, when the user visits the website. The pixel is typically hosted on a separate server from the website, allowing the server to collect information on the user's activity and preferences, generally without their awareness. A tracking pixel is invisible to users, yet it collects behavioral data that marketers can use to enhance retargeting campaigns, deliver more relevant ads, improve website experiences, and more. This article continues to discuss tracking pixels, the risks associated with them, and the consequences of poor pixel security. 

Help Net Security reports "How to Protect Online Privacy in the Age of Pixel Trackers"