Comments for How does blocking pictures in an email protect my privacy?

Comment from susan shaw on 2009-04-28

2009-04-28T10:14:50Z

I recieve emails from stores to purchase items and you always need to click on them to see or by but my hotmail won't allow me to open them. I have always opened them in the past but sense I changed messenger 3 days ago, it wont let me open anything.What can I do (in simple terms please)? Thank you susan

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A comment on: How does blocking pictures in an email protect my privacy?

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Comment from George Arauz on 2008-01-30

2008-01-30T21:36:13Z

It actually doesnt protect it... maybe prevents a trojan virus here and there... but my advice.. dont open any emails you dont recognize.

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A comment on: How does blocking pictures in an email protect my privacy?

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Comment from Greg Bulmash on 2008-01-23

2008-01-23T17:40:13Z

I've heard a number of terms for these tracking images. Some call them "web bugs," but my favorite is "ratware".

I do agree with Mark that it would be nice if open rates were used to personalize and target e-mail ads better, but they're just generally used to determine the success of a specific campaign, and at best they try to use the information to make their future subject lines more clickable to their broader mailing list.

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A comment on: How does blocking pictures in an email protect my privacy?

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Comment from Mark Brownlow on 2008-01-23

2008-01-23T10:56:34Z

Great explanation.

In theory, legitimate business emailers should be using open rates to make the emails they send you more relevant. To give an example:

Say you signed up for an email newsletter with information on cruises, because next year you want to go on one up the Amazon.

The emails the travel company sends you are sometimes about European cruises and sometimes about South American cruises.

If the company sees that you only "open" those emails about South American cruises, then they should change the focus of the newsletters you get. So there's more on South America and less on Europe.

In reality, though, most businesses don't get that clever and simply look at how many people in total open their emails so they can get a general feel for want people like most.

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A comment on: How does blocking pictures in an email protect my privacy?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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