a.et.nytimes.com: NYTimes Tracker Exposed | Privacy Auditor
- Privacy Auditor Research Team
- Privacy , Trackers
- December 22, 2025
Table of Contents
a.et.nytimes.com: NYTimes’s Invasive Content Tracking
NYTimes’s tracker, a.et.nytimes.com, monitors your activity on their platforms, collecting data for personalized ads and analytics. This invades your privacy by profiling your reading habits. Here’s what it does and how to resist.
What Is a.et.nytimes.com?
This domain is part of The New York Times’s infrastructure for tracking user behavior across articles and sections. It feeds data into ad systems. As Privacy Auditors, we’re concerned about the depth of personal data collection this enables.
Data It Collects
When you use NYTimes platforms, it captures:
- IP Address: Links your activity to a physical location.
- User ID: Assigns a unique identifier for tracking.
- Browsing History: Logs articles and sections you view.
- Engagement Data: Tracks clicks and time spent on content.
- Device ID: Identifies your specific device for tracking.
- Cookie ID: Assigns a unique tracker across NYTimes services.
- User-Agent: Notes browser and OS, like ‘Safari 16.0’.
- Timestamps: Marks every event with precise timing.
This builds a detailed profile of your news consumption.
Who Gets Your Data?
NYTimes shares your information with:
- Internal Ad System: Uses your data for targeted advertising.
- Third-Party Advertiser: Delivers personalized campaigns.
- Data Broker: Enhances profiles with your content data.
- Government Entity: Complies with legal requests, per NYTimes policy.
How to Protect Yourself
Privacy Auditors are committed to defending your digital privacy. Here’s how to block NYTimes’s tracking:
- Use Tracker Blockers: Install extensions or Privacy Auditor’s service to stop scripts from this domain.
- Mask with a VPN: Hide your IP using a tool like Mullvad.
- Choose Privacy Browsers: Opt for Firefox with strict settings or Tor.
- Disable JavaScript: Block tracking scripts, though some content may not load.
- Clear Cookies: Wipe cookies regularly to disrupt tracking.
Combine these defenses to limit NYTimes’s data collection.
Sources
- NYTimes Privacy Policy: https://help.nytimes.com/hc/en-us/articles/115014893428-Privacy-policy
- NYTimes Terms: https://help.nytimes.com/hc/en-us/articles/115014893968-Terms-of-service
Warning
The a.et.nytimes.com tracker grabs data like your IP address and browsing history for ad targeting. Protect yourself with Privacy Auditor’s tools and a VPN like Mullvad.
This is a legal disclaimer. All information is provided for educational purposes only.
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