Covering your digital tracks

From May 3 – 7, global organizations will mark Privacy Awareness Week. Started in 2006 by the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities, the week is meant to bring attention to privacy issues in our digital world and the importance of protecting personal information.

As the pandemic persists, we’re all spending more time on our devices, browsing and shopping online. Remember that patio furniture you were considering? Or the cozy hoodie you’ve been eyeing?

Of course you do. Because you’ve probably seen a multitude of ads across your devices and apps promoting those products (or something similar). What you’re seeing are targeted ads. Targeted ads have been a hot topic in privacy circles since they became the dominant way that online behemoths like Facebook and Google make money. In fact, according to Wired, Google and Facebook (including their sites YouTube and Instagram) make approximately (and respectively) 83% and 99% of their revenue from selling ads.

But how do targeted ads impact you – specifically from a privacy perspective?

Following your digital tracks

Behavioural advertising (also known as targeted ads) allows a company to tailor its marketing based on your online activity, where you go with your devices and even what you talk about when your device is around. Ads target specific traits, interests or preferences based on what you (and people like you) do on the Internet.

Here’s how it works:

• You go to your favorite website to buy something
• That activity (data or transaction) creates a “cookie” - a small piece of text-based information that gets stored in your device’s browser
• When you visit another site – to read the news or to check your Facebook feed – the cookie triggers automated ads that deliver marketing messages based on what you were browsing or what you bought

Cookies are the key culprit here. These files are created based on information you’ve searched and they follow you across sites, apps and devices. Cookies can be useful – they keep us logged in to our favourite sites and keep our shopping carts full when we need to step away from an online shopping session. But they also reveal a lot of information to advertisers.

How can you protect your privacy?

While some may argue for the relevance of targeted ads, others claim that targeted advertising is an invasion of privacy. Realistically, as long as you are online, you will see some level of targeted ads. The good news is that there are ways you can limit your exposure to them:

#1: download an ad blocker

According to Wordstream, ad blockers are software programs that prevent ads from being shown on websites. They are typically add-ons to browsers, referred to as browser extensions. AdBlock Plus is one of the most popular and is available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer.

#2: delete cookies

Every web browser offers privacy settings that allow you to delete or disable your cookies. Doing so can help you cover your digital tracks. But you may notice that some websites won’t function well if you disable or turn them off.

#3: opt out

The Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada (DAAC) lets you opt out of targeted ads from companies participating in its AdChoices program. You may still see ads, but they won’t be generated by your web activity. The DAAC also offers additional tools that make it easier for you to opt out - read more about these tools including WebChoices for your browser and AppChoices for your mobile device here. You can also report any issues to Ad Standards, an independent advertising self-regulatory body that monitors companies participating in the AdChoices program.

#4: set limits for social

Many third-party companies scan social media user profiles with the purpose of creating and then selling curated prospect lists to advertisers. Limit what you share on social media about your interests and preferences (this includes photos, workplace, education, where you’ve visited). You should also avoid logging into other sites using your Facebook or Google credentials, so that web activity can’t be used for targeted ads.

The future looks brighter – and more private

Privacy is a key feature of the upcoming iPhone iOS 14.5 release. Outlined in a Forbes article, the new operating system introduces App Tracking Transparency, which helps you stop unwanted tracking on your iPhone. According to Forbes, the average app has six trackers. With iOS 14.5, you will have the ability to opt in to whether an app can track you across apps and websites owned by other companies. When you open an app, a pop up will appear that gives you the option of either “Allow Tracking” or “Ask App Not to Track.” When you opt out on a specific app, that app developer will lose the ability to track you.

You will also be able to centrally manage app tracking from your iPhone. If you switch this feature off, apps will not be able to request tracking at all.

Android users can limit tracking by resetting their Google Advertising ID (GAID) and by turning on the “opt out of ads personalization” option in their device settings.

As consumers demand greater privacy, Internet and technology companies - including device manufacturers - are stepping up. Do your part by staying informed and choosing solutions and settings that allow you to enjoy the advantages of the Internet without compromising your privacy.