smetrics.cnn.com: CNN’s Invasive Analytics Tracker

CNN’s tracker, smetrics.cnn.com, follows your interaction with news content on their platform to build a profile of your interests. This invasive tracking sacrifices your privacy for analytics and ads. Here’s the details and how to resist.

What Is smetrics.cnn.com?

This domain is part of CNN’s analytics system, likely powered by Adobe Analytics, to monitor user engagement with news articles and videos. It logs your behavior to tailor content and ads, but at a steep privacy cost. Privacy Auditors mark this as a significant concern.

Data It Collects

While on CNN’s site, it captures:

• IP Address: Your digital address tied to a general location.
• Browsing Behavior: Articles read, videos viewed, and dwell time.
• Click Events: Specific links or sections clicked on CNN’s site.
• Device Data: Browser version, OS, and device type.
• Session ID: Unique marker for tracking your visit.
• Cookie Tags: Identifiers for recognizing return visits.
• Page URLs: Exact pages or stories you access.
• Timestamps: Precise timing of each action.

This data constructs a detailed view of your news habits for exploitation.

Who Gets Your Data?

CNN shares this with:

• CNN analytics team: For content and user profiling.
• Third-party ad network: For targeted advertising.
• Cloud hosting provider: For data storage.
• Government entity: Per legal request, as per Warner Bros. Discovery’s privacy policy.

How to Protect Yourself

Privacy Auditors are dedicated to your digital defense. Take these steps:

• Block Trackers: Use Privacy Auditor’s paid service to stop smetrics.cnn.com scripts.
• Use a VPN: Hide your IP with Mullvad to evade location tracking.
• Clear Cookies: Wipe tracking tags to disrupt recognition.
• Browse Anonymously: Use Tor or privacy browsers for safety.

Combine these for robust privacy protection.

Sources

• CNN Privacy Policy: https://www.cnn.com/privacy

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