Surf the Web: Controlling Your Clickstream

FIND IT FAST Learn the Net The Web HOW TO Use the Site Master the Basics Surf the Web Harness E-mail Find Information Download Files Socialize Conference Music, Video & Photos Web Publishing Do E-Business Find the Right Job Protect Yourself ONLINE SHOPPING How It Works Top Ten Tips Discount Coupons RESOURCES Animated Internet Glossary Free Weekly Newsletter COMPANY INFO About Us Partner Programs Write Us Privacy Policy

Most of us believe that our online activities are private and anonymous. In reality, everything thing you do online--whether it's searching for information, reading a news article, shopping for a gift or downloading music--is recorded. As you move through cyberspace you leave a trail of data in your path. This trail, often referred to as a clickstream, contains a revealing record of your online activity. How It Works When you're online, your computer, known as a client, requests information from a remote computer, known as a server. To do this, you click on a link. This instructs the server to send you the information you requested. Think of all the clicking you do as you surf the Web. Although it may seem insignificant, to some people, your clickstream has great value. Most websites, including Learn the Net, store data about visitors to the site. For instance, we know what site you came from, which pages you visited, how long you stayed on the site, which files you downloaded, and many other related bits of information about your activities. If you register with a website, the site can identify who you are each time you visit. (But even if you didn't register, it's still possible to discover who you are by matching records from your Internet Service Provider or ISP.) All this information is stored in log files that the site operator can analyze. The information is typically used to improve the website and deliver personalized and more relevant content. For instance, we know that many Learn the Net visitors read articles about e-mail, so we try to publish more information about this subject. Understanding readers' preferences also helps publishers attract advertisers of interest to its audience. While web publishers only have user data from their own sites, your ISP has a complete record of every click you make online. In the wrong hands, this clickstream data can pose a serious threat to your privacy. Next Page  Learn the Net (www.learnthenet.com) is Copyright 1996-2008. Michael Lerner Productions. All Rights Reserved.