How does it work?
Most email clients use HTML for message formatting. HTML allows images to be embedded in the message. When you open an HTML format email, your email client makes a request for the image.
There are thus 3 components to a Web Beacon tracker:
- Send an HTML email with a specially coded img tag with the web beacon URL.
- A web server that listens for requests for the web beacon image and records information about each request, which may include the requester's email address, their IP address, the time of the request, which email client they use, etc.
- A database where information about each person to whom an email was sent is linked with the tracking information obtained when their email client makes a request for the web beacon embedded within.
Using a Web Beacon Tracker
- Send an email containing a Web Beacon tracker: Send Email with Tracking Beacon
- Request the Web Beacon tracker manually by visiting this URL: /app/track-beacon?tk=via_website
- Visit the Tracker's Database to view the web beacon tracking data collected so far: Tracker's Database
Protecting your privacy from Web Beacons
Since web beacons work by tracking a request for a remote resource (e.g., a small image file) you can completely defeat them... IF you can prevent your mail tool from requesting the beacon!!
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Some email clients provide a preference or setting to disable the automatic loading of remote content.
Here is what that looks like, for example, on Mac Mail:
- This blocks remote content, like images and styling, allowing you an option to load them manually. Of course, if you choose to load that content, the web beacon will also be loaded, and your information will be tracked.
WARNING
Tracking email without permission is certainly of questionable ethics and may be against the law in some jurisdictions. The tools and code presented here are intended for educational purposes only!