You browse online for a new pair of leather shoes. Soon afterwards, advertisements for similar footwear begin following you from one website or social media platform to another. Then come the marketing messages or calls.
It may feel coincidental, but the digital trail created by your browsing habits can be far more revealing than many consumers realise.
According to Prof. Danny Myburgh, a cybersecurity expert at the North-West University (NWU), and a specialist in cybersecurity and digital forensics, clicking “accept all” on a cookie banner can allow more than the basic functions needed to operate a website. Depending on the site and the permissions granted, it may also activate third-party tracking technologies capable of monitoring behaviour across different online platforms.
“What people often fail to realise is that blindly accepting all the terms and conditions may also activate third-party trackers built into the website,” he says.
Read more at North-West University…
