Use of web bugs up 500% in three years, BBC reports (standfirst unchanged)

The use of 'web bugs' is up by "500%" on three years ago, according to the BBC News site

Alfred Hermida, BBC News Online Technical Editor, reports that;

"Web bugs are crawling over the internet, secretly collecting information about surfing habits, says a new reportby internet tracking firm Cyveillance."

"Web bugs are hidden graphics embedded in web pages primed to collect information about visitors to the site."

"Often only a pixel in size, they can gather information such as the user's IP address or the type of browser used to retrieve the bug."

"The web bugs can dig out details about your computer, and work best together with cookies - files that log what you do on a website - and can interrogate them to find out more about you."

The report goes on to state that, more importantly;

"The collection of visitor information through web bugs ... could be considered a violation of privacy policies, exposing a company to unwanted repercussions in terms of corporate and brand image."

Follow the above link to the BBC website to read the full article.

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David Hopkins

Webtastic Ltd