PDA

View Full Version : Latest web tracking: KISSmetrics.



PhillyPhil
July 31st, 2011, 02:21 AM
We had the flash cookie broohaha recently, ending with a class action lawsuit, and plugins to counter them and protect user privacy, now we have the latest escalation from the tracking side of this stoush: KISSmetrics.

It (successfully) does everything it can to circumvent any type of tracking blocker you have. It identifies you across different websites, so any sites tracking you can share data about you between themselves if they wish.

Spotify and Hulu have been using it (and other unnamed but famous sites) but have both suspended its use since researchers at Berkley outed them.

A quote from the KISSmetrics site for your viewing pleasure:
KISSmetrics tracks every single time a visitor comes to your website, even before they are a customer, and ties that anonymous activity to them once they do actually turn into a customer. This allows you to understand where they came from, what they did, and what ultimately led them to become a customer.

After they’ve become your customer, KISSmetrics continues to keep track of their activity and lets you see how valuable they are to you.

You can also connect any number of properties to a person. Tell KISSmetrics one time that your new customer, Joe Smith, is a designer, used a 20% off coupon, was referred by a friend, and works in a startup — we’ll remember it forever.http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/07/30/1458235/Researchers-Expose-Tracking-Service-That-Cant-Be-Dodged

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/07/undeletable-cookie/

http://support.kissmetrics.com/overview

I for one am looking forward to a firefox plugin to counter this...

BeRoot ReBoot
July 31st, 2011, 02:28 AM
More like "latest addition to my /etc/hosts file".

Thewhistlingwind
July 31st, 2011, 04:11 AM
More like "latest addition to my /etc/hosts file".

Win response.

jerenept
July 31st, 2011, 04:14 AM
More like "latest addition to my /etc/hosts file".

I expect that NoScript would be more effective. These people wouldn't depend on a separate domain like Google Analytics.

MooseDog
July 31st, 2011, 04:13 PM
I for one am looking forward to a firefox plugin to counter this...

it exists! if i understand correctly, their activities are kicked of by a javascript. noscript (for firefox) stops this before it starts.

also look into the better privacy plugin to delete your flash cookies. very effective.

edit: just tested my theory: the javascript blocking does stop flash cookies from being installed, but not regular cookies. delete those as you normally do.