It’s no secret that many websites monitor user activity, their browsing history, and their preferences. This is done so that companies can target their audience and create tailored advertisements. But did you know that some websites also track a user’s mouse movements and their input into a web form even before it’s submitted? According to the results of a new study conducted by Princeton researchers, this is done by some of the world’s top websites.
The research found that hundreds of companies use third-party tracking services so they can monitor exactly how users navigate their websites. For example, a service like this can see a user enter a password into an online form. Websites logging keystrokes is also a thing – services monitor and see what users type even before they submit it and even if they later abandon their input.
This all is a privacy breach because users are not aware that their online behavior is being monitored. But what’s even more worrying is the fact that this information can easily be abused: “Collection of page content by third-party replay scripts may cause sensitive information, such as medical conditions, credit card details, and other personal information displayed on a page, to leak to the third-party as part of the recording,” explains the study’s co-author Steven Englehardt.
To improve online security, it’s important to help users better control how their information is shared online. However, that’s only a part of the solution – companies which use third-party tracking services that ignore privacy settings should be held accountable.
Reference:
Phys.org (https://phys.org/news/2017-11-websites-privacy.html)
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