Online porn watchers are still been tracked by Google and Facebook users’ — even when users access pornographic websites in incognito or private browsing modes.
More than 20,000 porn websites were analyzed for a recent study, findings from which were published on Monday (via CNET). The investigation — conducted by researchers from Microsoft, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Result obtained found that 93 percent of the sites analyzed leak user data to a third party.
The user is often unaware the data collection is taking place. The research team said data helps to build detailed profiles of user habits and sexual interests.
This profile could be shared and sold for targeted advertising.
In the US, many advertising and video hosting platforms forbid ‘adult’ content. For example, Google’s YouTube is the largest video host in the world, but does not allow pornography,” the researchers wrote. “However, Google has no policies forbidding websites from using their code hosting (Google APIs) or audience measurement tools (Google Analytics). See How to use Incognito Mode.
“Google refuses to host porn but has no limits on observing the porn consumption of users. These often done without the users’ knowledge,” the research team wrote in the paper.
The research also suggested Google and its subsidiaries ran tracking service around 74 percent of the pornography sites examined, and Facebook on around 10 percent.
Why is Incognito mode ineffective?
Incognito and private modes typically only prevent your browser from saving your search activities. However, ISPs, websites, and tracking services still receive this information. Furthermore, Incognito mode doesn’t necessarily increase security.
If a website doesn’t support encryption (only around 17 percent of the examined porn sites did), then your login or password information is at the same risk whether you browse privately or not.
Therefore, users are likely to be tracked whenever they visit one of the thousands of websites investigated, and due to poor security practices.
These also pose a significant risk of having their private data shared or misused. Critically, a person’s sexual predilections, as oppose to their purchasing habits or something else which may be tracked, can be particularly sensitive.
“The user data often suggests or reveals gender/sexual identities or interests represented in the porn site URL accessed, and thus poses an additional risk if tracked and assumptions about users’ sexual identities/interests are linked to personally identifying information,” wrote the researchers.
All told, it’s a troubling set of findings. Hopefully, the research spurs authorities to introduce tighter controls around online tracking activities.
