Chapter 5, Web Activities Question no. 2

TEAM MEMBER:
Muhammad Haiqal Bin Nordin (081847)
Muhammad Hussaini Bin Mazlan Zulkifli (081901)

QUESTION:
Visit www.cdt.org . Find out what technologies are available to track users’ activities on the Internet. (Chapter 5, Web Activities Question no. 2)

REPORT:
Based on Center for Democracy & Technology website (www.cdt.org), there are several technologies that can track users’ activities on the Internet. One of the common technologies is “cookie”. An Internet “cookie” is a unique piece of text that a Web site, through Internet browser, saves on user computer's hard drive and retrieves when user revisit that Web site. Cookies may contain information such as login or registration data, online "shopping cart" selections, user preferences, and Web sites that user have visited. They have legitimate purposes, but they are used far too often and serve a tracking role with implications for privacy.

In addition to cookies, Web sites can use other forms of data, generally called “objects” to track user online. Basically, an "object" is any kind of content that Internet browser receives - everything from basic text and images to style sheets, scripts, "Flash cookies" and more. Some of these objects are not even visible to user on Internet browser window. When the same object is delivered to user repeatedly across different sites, it could potentially be used to track user.

Other technology that can track users’ activities on the Internet is spyware. These programs, which can be installed on users’ computer without their knowledge, may deliver obnoxious pop-up ads and otherwise affect how users’ computer operates. The worst forms of spyware collect personal or sensitive information and transmit it to fraudsters.

Other than that, technology that can be use on tracking users’ activities on the Internet is keystroke logging. In fact, this technology is being used in some country by their government; it is called government spyware by them. This technology captures every keystrokes enters into a computer. However, some third party uses this technology to gain users’ personal information on the internet for their own purpose such as identity theft.

Once installed, this keystroke logging enables the third party to record information entered into a computer within the sanctity on one’s home and to access a person’s most private matters that contain in that computer whether conveyed to another party or not. In some ways, keystroke logging is more dangerous and intrusive rather than the interception of a phone call or email communication.