I automatically collect some information about a visitor to my World-Wide Web site. The information I automatically collect depends on what I use. I've listed examples below:
Technical data from a visitor's computer:
I collect the
information that W-WW browsers, mobile devices, and servers
typically make available about visitors to a site, such as the
Internet Protocol [I.P.] Address, browser type, unique device
identifiers, language preference, referring site, the date and time
of access, operating system, and mobile network information.
Location information:
I may determine the approximate
location of a visitor's device from the I.P. Address. This
information tallies how many people visit my W-WW site from certain
geographic regions. However, this information is frequently
inaccurate, and it is easily spoofed. On V.92, my location has been
determined to be in "Kentucky, USA"; "South Euclid,
OH."; or "Pittsburgh, PA".
Obviously, if you
are surfing with Tor, your location will be randomized. If
you have configured an anonymous proxy in Firefox | Pale Moon, the
location will be somewhere in that country.
Information from cookies and other technologies:
A cookie
is a string of information that a site stores on a visitor's
computer, and that the visitor's browser provides to the site each
time the visitor returns. Pixel tags (also called web beacons) are
small blocks of code, which may or may not be visible, placed on
sites. In my case, I display an ExtremeTracking pixel tag. It is
visible. It is available for anybody who lands on my W-WW site to
click-through and inspect. My webhost places two cookies on your
hard drive. Whatever is in those cookies is unknown to me. Toss
them when you clear your browser history.
Ultimately, as somebody who is cognizant of the privacy and security hazards which exist on the Internet, I want nothing from somebody who visits my W-WW site. The less I have, the less an “authority” can demand I must provide it.
Proceed to my regular bookmark page.