Tracking

Web tracking is the process of monitoring a website's visitors. Users are tracked using cookies, tracking scripts, widgets, and clickstreaming. Typically, this is used to improve a user's experience online. Websites will show visitors advertisements that are relevant to hyperlinks they have recently clicked on and searches they have performed. Many web tracking companies will share information with other websites in order to gather the most amount of data on their visitors.

While most forms of tracking are annoying at worst, some have more of a malicious intent. Some websites will make it easy for unsuspecting users to accidentally download their malware, which can track a user's keystrokes and obtain more personal information, such as their credit card number.

Additionally, not only companies try to track a user's information. Individuals will stalk others online for various reasons, which is a good reason to protect your information. Individuals will search social media for available information, and publicly broadcast it. This practice is known as doxxing.