player.h-cdn.com: Hearst’s Video Viewing Tracker

Hearst Communications deploys player.h-cdn.com to monitor your video consumption on their media sites. This tracker logs your viewing behavior for ad targeting, invading your privacy. Learn what it collects and how to block it.

What Is player.h-cdn.com?

This domain supports video playback on Hearst-owned platforms while tracking user engagement. It captures data for personalized ads, a method Privacy Auditors find disturbingly invasive.

Data It Collects

When you watch videos on Hearst sites, it grabs:

• IP Address: Locates you to a city or region.
• Video Engagement: Tracks videos watched and duration.
• Browsing History: Logs pages visited on Hearst sites.
• User ID: Ties actions to a profile if logged in.
• Session ID: Monitors activity in one session.
• Page URL: Records exact content viewed.
• Referrer URL: Notes your origin, like a referral link.
• Device Type: Identifies your device hardware.
• Browser Type: Captures browser details.
• Operating System: Logs OS specifics.
• Timestamps: Marks precise interaction times.

This data profiles your media preferences.

Who Gets Your Data?

Your information is given to:

• Hearst Teams: For content and ad analysis.
• Advertisers: Through Hearst’s ad systems.
• Analytics Firms: For user behavior insights.
• Legal Authorities: If compelled by law, per policy.

How to Protect Yourself

Privacy Auditors suggest these defenses:

• Block Trackers: Stop player.h-cdn.com with Privacy Auditor.
• Use a VPN: Hide your IP with Mullvad.
• Use Privacy Browsers: Choose Firefox or Tor.
• Disable JavaScript: Prevent tracking, though videos may fail.
• Clear Cookies: Delete tracking tags often.

Use these together for better privacy.

Sources

• Hearst Privacy Policy: https://www.hearst.com/-/us-privacy-notice

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