AliExpress caught using inaudible sound fingerprinting

**Outdated Tracking Technique Still Raises Privacy Concerns**

A recent audit by the Digital Privacy Institute revealed that a small but significant number of websites continue to employ the classic “first‑party cookie” tracking method, a practice that has largely been superseded by more sophisticated, privacy‑respecting technologies such as local storage and server‑side analytics. While the technique was once the backbone of online advertising, its reliance on persistent identifiers has made it vulnerable to misuse and has prompted criticism from privacy advocates.

The audit found that 12 % of the sampled sites still set third‑party cookies that track user activity across multiple domains, a practice that many regulators deem “creepy” because it allows advertisers to build detailed profiles without explicit user consent. The Digital Privacy Institute noted that the continued use of this method contravenes several provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), both of which require clear disclosure and opt‑in consent for such tracking.

Regulators are now reviewing enforcement actions against companies that persist with cookie‑based tracking. The Institute’s findings underscore the need for a broader industry shift toward privacy‑by‑design solutions, as the outdated technique continues to erode user trust and violate emerging data‑protection standards.