Who is tracking you on the internet?

Catching up on the local news online this afternoon, I visited The Mercury.  I did a double-take at the number of web-trackers on the site.  I generally see between 20 and 30 trackers on the site, but today was much different. 

Web trackers are just what the name implies.  Placed on web pages, web trackers follow your activity known as behavioral tracking.  This is primarily for the purpose of marketing and ad placement.  It is no surprise that many companies are interested in your online activity.  An example of this is through internet 'cookies'.  Have you ever shopped for an item, to later see an advertisement for it?  Companies collect information on your internet activity and share it with others.   

When I visited the Mercury's site this afternoon, I saw there were 70 web trackers. 

Here is the list of companies tracking my activity when I visited the site shortly before 1PM this afternoon:

24/7 Media, [x+1], Accuen Media, Adap.tv, AddThis, Adify, AdMeld, AdRoll, Aggregate Knowledge, AMP Platform, AppNexus, Audience Science, Bizo, BlueKai, Brandscreen, Brightcove, BrightRoll, Brilig, Buysight, Casale Media, Centro, Clip Syndicate, Connexity, ContextWeb, Criteo, DataXu, Digilant, Disqus, DoubleClick, DoubleClick Bid Manager, Drawbridge, Evidon Notice, Xelate, Experian Marketing Services, Facebook Connect, Facebook Social Plugins, GDN Notice, Genome, Google Adsense, Google Analytics, i-Behavior, iQ Poll, Korrelate, Krux Digital, Legolas Media, LiveRail, Lotame, Media Innovation Group, Media6Degrees, MediaMath, Newstogram, NextAction, Omniture, OwnerIQ, Proclivity, PubMatic, Quantcast, Right Media, Rubicon, ScoreCard Research Beacon, Simpli.fi, SiteScout, SpotXchange, Tapad, TargusInfo, TradeDesk, TRUSTe Notice, Turn, ValueClick Mediaplex, Zedo.

Opening the site added 407 files onto my computer, from javascript and cookies, to images.

According to Journal Register, the content provider of the site based in Yardley, PA – the privacy policy spells out their terms.

"We may use 'cookies' to keep, and sometimes track, information about you."

…and this

"We may analyze user behavior as a measure of interest in, and use of, our Web Site and e-mails, both on an individual basis and in the aggregate."

Fine, but 70?  A count of 70 web trackers is high in my opinion.  As a measure of reference, I checked out other local online news outlets.  

ABC Philly: 6 trackers

CBS Philly: 21 trackers

NBC Philly: 32 trackers

FOX Philly: 15 trackers

Patch: 12 trackers

Philly.com: 40 trackers

Finally, I checked out two other Journal Register sites.  The Trentonian and Daily Times are both content driven through Journal Register as well.  The Trentonian has 45 trackers, while Daily Times had 50 trackers.  It is clear the Journal Register is the driving force behind the large volume of web tracking.

What can you do?  There are several methods to combat web tracking if the practice concerns you.  Back in January of 2012, I wrote a piece titled 'WEB TRACKING' - MAKING A TRACKERS' LIFE DIFFICULT

Web tracking is nothing new and certainly will continue in the future, but how much is too much?