The global online industry is worth about $21 billion, and behavioural tracking will account for about 7% of that by 2014.
Tracking people's preferences online is a growing industry, and is currently the way free services such as Google and Facebook are monetising their Web sites, says Dominic White, senior consultant at SensePost.
Behavioural tracking, which allows advertisers to target their products based on what searches people run, will grow because of its successful use by Facebook and Google, he says. Advertisers use the method to target adverts at browsers.
White was addressing delegates at ITWeb's Security Summit, in Sandton, yesterday. He argued that behavioural data is dangerous, as it can be used to build up a profile of someone and associate them with a criminal activity based on their searches, even if what they look up on the Internet is innocent.
In addition, noted White, the data that is collected is also sold to third parties, and could be abused by staff members within those companies. He said people browsing the Internet have “little or no control” over the trend.
Growing concern
However, behavioural tracking is becoming a serious issue and there are several initiatives under way to limit its use, said White. Some advertisers have stopped showing targeted advertisements when people opt out, but still collect data. This is a “token gesture” without any real value, commented White.
Another potential solution is an opt-out cookie that will prevent data being used by a third-party site. This will stop Web sites displaying advertisements based on information sought on another site. However, said White, there is no way to verify this solution.
According to White, a better choice, which is consumer-driven, is an option within a browser to send a do-not-track signal to the Web site. However, this is only a benefit if people make use of the option, he added.
In the US, a “Do Not Track Bill” has been introduced to Congress, raising the ire of companies such as Google, Yahoo, Facebook and Time Warner, explained White. The problem with legislation is it requires the co-operation of tracking companies, he noted. “It will only force people who want to play nice.”
Microsoft has also proposed a model that is essentially an extension of Firefox's AdBlock plus, and lists sites that browsers want to block, added White. However, this requires that the user looks at the list.
White said the defence against trackers at the moment is to subvert their data by using tools such as GoogleSharing, which muddies the information Google receives and links to users. In addition, a range of tools is being made available by SensePost, which browsers can use to limit vulnerability.
“Active subversion” of information will make tracking more expensive and keep users safe, White pointed out.
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