pulsar.ebay.fr: How eBay Tracks Your Every Move

The domain pulsar.ebay.fr is tied to eBay’s real-time analytics framework, Pulsar, which relentlessly tracks your interactions on their platform. It gathers extensive data about your browsing and buying habits, creating a detailed profile that invades your privacy. Here’s a breakdown of what it does, what it grabs, and how to shield yourself from its reach.

What Is pulsar.ebay.fr?

Pulsar is a real-time analytics tool developed by eBay to monitor user activity as it happens. While it’s used for internal analytics, its presence on domains like pulsar.ebay.fr indicates a focus on capturing data from users in specific regions, such as France. This tracker logs everything from searches to purchases, feeding eBay’s advertising and personalization engines at the cost of your personal privacy.

Data It Collects

When you interact with eBay, pulsar.ebay.fr captures the following:

• Geolocation: Extracts your approximate location from your IP address or device settings.
• IP Address: Records your digital identifier, tying actions to your location.
• Purchase History: Logs every item you buy, including IDs, prices, and timestamps.
• Search Queries: Captures exact terms like ‘vintage camera’ or ‘iPhone 14’.
• Browsing Behavior: Tracks pages you visit, time spent, and items viewed.
• Click Data: Registers every click on buttons or links, with precise timestamps.
• User ID: Ties all your actions to a unique identifier linked to your account.
• Device Information: Gathers browser type (e.g., Chrome 120.0), OS (e.g., Windows 11), and device model (e.g., Samsung Galaxy S22).
• Session ID: Connects actions within a single session for continuous tracking.
• Cookie IDs: Employs cookies to follow you across multiple visits.
• Referrer URL: Notes where you came from, like a Google ad or external site.
• Page URL: Records full eBay URLs, including query parameters.
• Timestamps: Logs every action down to the second for detailed analysis.

This invasive data collection paints a clear picture of your habits, making you a target for tailored ads and more.

Who Gets Your Data?

Your information collected by pulsar.ebay.fr doesn’t stay with eBay alone. It gets shared with:

• eBay Affiliate: Processes data for analytics and advertising purposes.
• Third-Party Advertising Network: Uses your behavior for targeted ad delivery.
• Marketing Partner: Refines ad campaigns for eBay using your data.
• Cloud Service Provider: Hosts and processes user data on eBay’s behalf.
• Law Enforcement Agency: Receives data like IP address or user ID upon legal request, as outlined in eBay’s privacy notices.

How to Protect Yourself

At Privacy Auditor, we’re dedicated to arming you against trackers like pulsar.ebay.fr. Take these steps to reduce its grip on your data:

• Deploy Tracker Blockers: Use tools like Privacy Auditor’s service to block scripts from pulsar.ebay.fr. Ensure your browser extensions are set to stop trackers.
• Mask Your Location with a VPN: A VPN such as Mullvad conceals your IP address, making it harder for eBay to track your whereabouts.
• Switch to Privacy-Centric Browsers: Opt for Firefox with strict tracking protection or Tor Browser for stronger anonymity.
• Disable JavaScript When Possible: Since many trackers rely on JavaScript, turn it off via browser settings or extensions like NoScript, though this may break some site features.
• Wipe Cookies Frequently: Clear cookies tied to eBay to disrupt tracking across sessions.

Combining these tactics offers the best defense. A VPN alone won’t stop trackers, but it’s a vital part of your privacy toolkit alongside Privacy Auditor’s resources.

Sources

The information presented is based on:

• eBay User Privacy Notice: https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/user-privacy-notice-privacy-policy?id=4260
• eBay Inc. Privacy Center: https://www.ebayinc.com/company/privacy-center/privacy-notice/

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