Nearly all [UK] councils hand user tracking data to marketing companies

Posted by marichards on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @02:14PM
from the eandt.theiet.org dept.

https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2019/11/96-of-councils-found-to-hand-over-users-data-to-marketing-firms/

( 4 comments | 4 points | on HN )

Re:Nearly all [UK] councils hand user tracking data to marke... by marichards on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @02:30PM (#21466149)

This isn't just an issue of marketing wanting a Facebook Pixel.

In some cases, councils turned their websites into revenue streams and thus were being paid to include adverts on their site that tracked users, browsing council content.

https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/website-advertising/

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Nearly all [UK] councils hand user tracking data to marke... by mytailorisrich on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @02:47PM (#21466374)

Ask residents whether they want this stopped if that means higher council tax and my bet if they'll all vote for as many ads as possible.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Nearly all [UK] councils hand user tracking data to marke... by marichards on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @02:53PM (#21466424)

When you ask a resident if they want to be tracked by ad companies as they organise a funeral, they might think twice.

https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/births-deaths-and-marriages/dea...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Nearly all [UK] councils hand user tracking data to marke... by mytailorisrich on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @03:54PM (#21467122)

I doubt it.

All of this tracking by ad companies is overblown in some circles but most of the public don't really care, especially if it helps keeping their taxes down.

[ Parent | on HN ]