What are Web Beacons, otherwise known as Web Bugs, and how do the work?
A web beacon is a transparent image file used to monitor your journey around a single website or collection of sites. They are also referred to as web bugs and are commonly used by sites that hire third-party services to monitor traffic. They may be used in association with cookies to understand how visitors interact with the pages and content on the pages of a web site. For example a company owning a network of sites may use web beacons to count and recognise users travelling around its network. Being able to recognise you enables the site owner to personalise your visit and make it more user friendly.
Related Questions
- Why does ESL use JavaScript in its products when it is known that some browsers (like Web TV) are unable to process JavaScript?
- Are there special considerations regarding information transmitted through the internet (e.g., "cookies" and web beacons)?
- What are the risks of choosing a lesser known, cheaper web host?
