Spy pixel

How a tracking pixel works

Spy pixels or tracker pixels are hyperlinks to remote image files in HTML email messages that have the effect of spying on the person reading the email if the image is downloaded.[1][2] They are commonly embedded in the HTML of an email as small, imperceptible, transparent graphic files.[3] Spy pixels are commonly used in marketing, and there are several countermeasures in place that aim to block email tracking pixels. However, there are few regulations in place that effectively guard against email tracking approaches.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC_spypixels_endemic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference ZDNet_tracker_pixels was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Sipior, Janice C., Burke T. Ward, and Ruben A. Mendoza. 2011. “Online Privacy Concerns Associated with Cookies, Flash Cookies, and Web Beacons.” Journal of Internet Commerce 10(1):1–16.