assets.rbl.ms: How RebelMouse Tracks You Through Content

RebelMouse operates assets.rbl.ms to deliver static content like images and scripts for their publishing platform. While it seems harmless, this domain gathers data on your interactions, building a profile of your online habits. Let’s break down its invasive tracking.

What Is assets.rbl.ms?

This domain serves as a content delivery system for RebelMouse-powered websites. Beyond loading media, it silently logs user data, feeding into analytics that track your behavior across their network. As Privacy Auditors, we’re concerned about how it quietly monitors users.

Data It Collects

When you load content from this domain, it captures:

• IP Address: Pinpoints your approximate location, tied to a city or area.
• User-Agent: Logs your browser and OS, like Chrome 120.0 on Windows 11.
• Referrer URL: Tracks where you came from, mapping your browsing journey.
• Page URL: Records the exact page, including unique identifiers in the URL.
• Timestamps: Marks when you accessed content, down to the second.
• Device Type: Detects mobile, tablet, or desktop for user classification.
• Screen Resolution: Captures display size (e.g., 1920x1080) for profiling.
• Cookie IDs: Tags you with identifiers to track across sessions.

This data creates a snapshot of your activity, usable for targeted tracking.

Who Gets Your Data?

Your information doesn’t stay private. It’s shared with:

• RebelMouse: Uses it for internal analytics and platform tracking.
• Third-party analytics provider: Integrates with RebelMouse for deeper profiling.
• Cloud hosting service: Stores data on servers like AWS or Google Cloud.
• Legal or government body: Shared if requested, per their legal terms.

How to Protect Yourself

We at Privacy Auditors recommend these steps to block this tracker:

• Use Tracker Blockers: Tools like Privacy Auditor can stop assets.rbl.ms scripts.
• Deploy a VPN: Hide your IP with services like Mullvad for location privacy.
• Opt for Privacy Browsers: Use Firefox with strict tracking protection or Tor.
• Clear Cookies: Regularly delete tracking cookies to break session tracking.

Combine these tactics for stronger defense against invasive domains.

Sources

• RebelMouse Terms of Service: https://www.rebelmouse.com/terms-of-service/
• General web information on RebelMouse content delivery practices.

This is a legal disclaimer. All information is provided for educational purposes only.