Twitter Tracks Users for Sake of Social Media Ads

Twitter Tracks Users for Sake of Social Media Ads

Twitter is probably my most favorite social media platform, but when I heard that they were experimenting with ways to track me, and you, all around the Internet, even when we leave Twitter, I became a bit skittish to say the least. This new off-site tracking is Twitter"s way of relaying information to advertisers so that ads can be created to heavily target certain people.

While it is well known that Twitter already tracks users by using "Follow" buttons and social widgets that tell Twitter where people go after leaving their site, Twitter is upping the ante a bit in the users" favor. (Of course, don"t forget that you can configure AdBlock to block the "Follow" buttons and widgets on third party sites.)

Twitter is giving users the chance to activate "Do Not Track," enabling users to have more power and control over the security of their social media experiences.

How to deactivate Twitter"s new off-site tracking

  1. Log into your Twitter account.
  2. At the top of the screen, beside Twitter"s search bar, click on the grey "circle" that looks like a grommet, and choose "settings" from the drop-down menu.Twitter Tracks Users for Sake of Social Media Ads

  3. Scroll down and beside "Personalization," uncheck "Tailor Twitter based on my recent website visits."
  4. Then, beside "Promoted Content," uncheck "Tailor ads based on information shared by ad partners."
    Twitter Tracks Users for Sake of Social Media Ads

  5. Scroll to the bottom, and click on the "Save changes" button.

According to Twitter regarding their new off-site tracking, they aren"t going to put more ads on their site, just better ones, based on the results produced by their off-site tracking.

Ultimately, I think it"s a bit creepy to track and collect data on people when they leave Twitter in order to improve Twitter"s advertising. Just seems a little unethical somehow.

Source:http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/twitter-wants-start-tracking-you-web-heres-how-opt-out-6C10543909

http://lifehacker.com/twitter-wants-to-start-tracking-you-on-the-web-heres-661569459

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • The Business Case for Video Analytics: Understanding the Real ROI

    For security professionals who may be hesitant to invest in video analytics, now's the time to reconsider. In a newly released Omdia report commissioned by BriefCam (now Milestone Systems), the research firm uncovered a compelling story: more than 85% of North American and European organizations that use video analytics achieve a return on investment within just one year. The study, which surveyed 140 end users across multiple industries, demonstrates that security technology is no longer just for security — it's a cross-organizational tool that delivers measurable business value far beyond traditional safety applications. Read Now

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

  • Study: Only 35 Percent of Companies Include Cybersecurity Teams When Implementing AI

    Only 35 percent of cybersecurity professionals or teams are involved in the development of policy governing the use of AI technology in their enterprise, and nearly half (45 percent) report no involvement in the development, onboarding, or implementation of AI solutions, according to the recently released 2024 State of Cybersecurity survey report from ISACA, a global professional association advancing trust in technology. Read Now

  • New Report Series Highlights E-Commerce Threats, Fraud Against Retailers

    Trustwave, a cybersecurity and managed security services provider, recently released a series of reports detailing the threats facing the retail sector, marking the second year of its ongoing research into these critical security issues. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings. 3

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge. 3