Page 14 - digital citizenship

3. Understanding User Data

User data is one of the most complex and concerning
concepts in the digital age.

Just about every company with a website collects data on
the people who visit it. That data may be as simple as the
pages that someone views, and it could be as complex as
someone’s home address.

Most of the websites on the internet use this information
for marketing purposes. It helps them understand their
customers a little bit better, and it helps companies
connect with people in a meaningful way.

However, other websites use this opportunity
maliciously. They may “mine” someone’s web browser
for their search history. They might also attach a
“cookie,” or unique identifier, to someone’s web browser
to see the other websites they visit.

Then, many of these companies take this data, package it
together, and sell it to the highest bidder.