US wireless carrier Verizon, which is facing heat from advocates of consumer privacy, is offering its users with an option to shut down the so-called “supercookies” that keeps a close eye on the online activities of the users.
Verizon spokesperson Debra Lewis said, “We have begun working to expand the opt-out to include the identifier referred to as the UIDH, and expect that to be available soon.”
Supercookies were discovered last year and since then it has raised the concerns of telecom firms like Verizon and AT&T, which have been using them to monitor the web browsing activities of its users.
Verizon uses the data collected by the supercookies to analyze the users’ interests. The information are in turn utilized by the advertisers for releasing ads that are more intended for their target market.
Supercookies have been condemned widely in the tech world due to several reasons. Owing to the fact that they keep track of the websites or other internet usage information of the users and collect the data to supply to the advertisers, there is a greater possibility of supercookies being abused by hackers for monitoring the activities of potential victims.
Tech experts say while the regular cookies can be easily removed from the browsers, supercookies are hard nut to crack.
The only method for deletion of a supercookie for Verizon is via unsubscribing the Precision Market Insights program after visiting the wireless web portal of the company, or the mobile, or after talking to a customer representative over the telephone.
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