Online advertisers collect data about users in various ways such as through cookies, login information, purchase history and browsing behavior to learn personal details. This data allows advertisers to show targeted ads, vary prices and offers for different users, and gain insights to increase sales. Experts warn that many websites and applications surreptitiously track and share users' personal information.

1. Source: Flickr “Gold in Quartz 4” by St. John

2. Source: Flickr “Web Browsers” by MacEntee

3. surreptitious
sneaky and indirect
consensual
given freely and obvious
Source: Pixabay “Window” by Geralt Source: Flickr “Loyalty Cards” by Rolande

4. 1Hill, S. (2015, June 26). How much do online advertisers really know
about you? We asked an expert.
Source: Flickr “DNA Fingerprinting” by Wellcome Images

5. Source: Pixabay “Computer Smartphone” by Geralt
1Hill, S. (2015, June 26). How much do online advertisers really know
about you? We asked an expert.

6. Source: Flickr “gmail cookies” by Petersen
2Beal, V. (2008, September 4). What are Cookies and What
Do Cookies Do?

7. Source: Flickr “login page” by the_english_guy
2Beal, V. (2008, September 4). What are Cookies and
What Do Cookies Do?

8. method 3: cookies
Source: Flickr “Merge” by Lynch
1Hill, S. (2015, June 26). How much do online advertisers really know
about you? We asked an expert.

9. method 4: direct
Source: Flickr “Arrow” by elizaIO

10. Source: Flickr “wooden letters” by Powell
3Valentino-DeVries, J., & Singer-Vine, J. (2012, December 07). They Know
What You're Shopping For.

11. Source: Flickr “apps” by MacEntee
4Prose, F. (2015, January 13). They’re Watching You Read.

12. 5Alter, A. (2012, July 19). Your E-Book Is Reading You.
Source: Flickr “Book Store in Kabul” by Partensky

13. Source: Flickr “Walmart Cash Registers” by Mozart

14. Source: Flickr “Chain link” by Hope
1Hill, S. (2015, June 26). How much do online advertisers really know
about you? We asked an expert.

15. Source: Pixabay “Icon” by ElisaRiva
6Valentino-DeVries, J., Singer-Vine, J., & Soltani, A. (2012, December 24).
Websites Vary Prices, Deals Based on Users' Information.

16. 7Krashinsky, S. (2014, December 04). Four ways Canadians are consuming
media differently.

17. 8Campbell, C., & Marks, L. J. (2015, November). Good native advertising isn’t a
secret.
Source: LinkedIn

18. 8Campbell, C., & Marks, L. J. (2015, November). Good native advertising isn’t a
secret.

19. Data
Collection
Targeted Ads
Increased
Sales