HARry Parser and the Cursed Tracker: Breaking the Spell of Online Data Collection

Discover the dark secrets of online data collection and its impact on you.

Key takeaways

Average policy length has doubled in the last 10 years, quadrupled since 2000
First-party trackers collect information about you, while third-party trackers collect information about your activities
Many websites collect information about you, including browsing history, search queries, and online behavior
The average person can’t read privacy policies, which are often 400 hours of reading time
Companies like TikTok collect information about you, even if you haven’t given consent
Tracker technology is widespread and difficult to understand
The speaker provides a tool called HAR files, which allow users to analyze website traffic and data collection
The speaker recommends using AI and browser extensions to help block privacy tracking
Many websites use fingerprinting techniques to gather information about users
Companies like Cloudflare and Amazon’s Route 53 are involved in data collection and tracking

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