Online tracking and personalization have become an integral part of modern online experiences. Services use various methods, including cookies, device identifiers, and browsing data, to create profiles that help tailor advertisements and content to individual users.
When you visit a website or app, a unique identifier may be stored on your device to recognize it for future visits. This information can be linked to your activity on the service, such as forms submitted or content viewed. Your profile is used to display personalized ads based on your interests, browsing history, and other data.
Content personalization profiles also exist, reflecting your activity on a specific service or others. These profiles help adapt the order of content displayed, making it easier for you to find relevant information. Data from these profiles can be combined with other sources, such as IP addresses and device capabilities, to ensure technical compatibility.
Measuring advertising performance involves tracking user interactions with ads, including clicks, views, and conversions. This data helps understand the effectiveness of ad campaigns and improve services. Content performance is also measured, evaluating whether content reaches its intended audience and matches their interests.
Reports can be generated based on combined data sets, identifying common characteristics among users to inform targeted marketing strategies. Additionally, your activity data helps improve products and services, as well as monitor for unusual activity to prevent fraud.
By saving your choices regarding online tracking and entities listed in notices, you enable both the service and those entities to respect your preferences. This information may be matched with other sources, such as separate online activities or surveys, to support targeted marketing efforts.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/14/climate/solar-storms-satellites-global-warming