sli.latimes.com: LA Times’ Invasive Reader Tracker

The sli.latimes.com domain monitors your activity on the Los Angeles Times website. It collects data on what you read and how you interact, feeding this into profiles for ads and content targeting. Let’s explore its intrusive nature and how to block it.

What Is sli.latimes.com?

This subdomain is part of the LA Times’ tracking system, designed to log user behavior on their site. It builds detailed analytics, but sacrifices your privacy in the process. As Privacy Auditors, we’re disturbed by how news outlets invade user data under the guise of personalization.

Data It Collects

When you browse LA Times, this tracker grabs:

• IP Address: Connects your activity to your network or location.
• User Behavior: Logs articles read, clicks, and time on page.
• Session ID: Ties actions in a visit for detailed analysis.
• Page URL: Records specific articles or sections you visit.
• Referrer URL: Tracks where you came from, like a social media post.
• Browser Type: Captures your browser and version for profiling.
• Operating System: Notes your OS, such as Windows or iOS.
• Device Type: Identifies if you’re on a phone, tablet, or computer.
• Timestamps: Logs exact times of interactions.
• Cookie IDs: Uses cookies to monitor you across visits.

This creates a revealing profile of your news consumption habits.

Who Gets Your Data?

LA Times shares this information with:

• Marketing Team: Uses data for personalized content and ad delivery.
• Third-party Ad Network: Targets ads based on your reading behavior.
• Legal Authority: Complies with data requests under local laws.

How to Protect Yourself

Privacy Auditors are here to help you fight back against invasive tracking:

• Use Tracker Blockers: Install Privacy Auditor’s paid service to block sli.latimes.com. Check browser extension settings for protection.
• Mask with a VPN: Hide your IP with a VPN like Mullvad to avoid location tracking.
• Switch to Privacy Browsers: Use Firefox with strict tracking protection or Tor Browser.
• Disable JavaScript: Turn off JavaScript to stop trackers, though site features may break.
• Clear Cookies: Regularly wipe cookies to limit tracking.

Combine these steps to shield yourself from LA Times’ surveillance.

Sources

• Los Angeles Times Privacy Policy: https://www.latimes.com/privacy-policy

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