The emails of today have come a long way since the first sent email back in 1971, per the Guinness World Records. Aside from the messages they convey, they can now have pictures, files, and even videos attached to them, making them a convenient way of sharing and receiving information formally.
They could also be used to know if, when, and on which device you opened an email from a specific company, which may feel like a breach of privacy rather than an informative way of disseminating information.
That is what spy trackers are.
Spy Trackers - What Are They?
To expand on the topic, a spy tracker is a square image the size of a pixel created by a line of code that is inserted into an email message, according to Nutshell's report on them. Thanks to this definition, spy trackers can also be called, pixel trackers due to their size.
Since they are as small as a single pixel, the recipient of an email with a spy tracker wouldn't be able to spot it. Even if they were actively looking for it, they wouldn't be able to because they are often transparent and placed somewhere in the header or footer of an email.
Spy trackers can be helpful to a company as it allows them to know how many people open their emails, click through links, and the general success rate of their marketing campaign. It will also let companies know which headlines and preview texts generate more opens and clicks.
What's The Catch?
The catch is that spy trackers also let companies see which device you opened their emails from, which email provider you use, and in what region you are located without your permission, which is a cause for privacy concerns, per Fast Company.
Unfortunately, some companies were caught or have admitted they are using spy trackers themselves. These companies include Amazon, Facebook, HSBC, Marks and Spencer, and Unilever, per the BBC, which also admitted its use of these trackers in its report.
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Furthermore, if someone knows how to create and use these trackers, they can send you one through a seemingly legitimate email, and if you open it, they'll know where you are, what device you're using, and if you're reading that email, creating an opportunity for cybercriminals and even stalkers.
How To Stop/Remove Spy Trackers
To stop these trackers from locating your location and knowing what device you have, you can toggle specific settings in your email provider or switch to a new one if you're so inclined.
If you're using Gmail, Digital Trends advises people to toggle on the "Ask Before Displaying External Messages" option to block trackers. You can find this option by clicking the gear icon in the upper right corner and selecting the "General" tab.
To do the same thing on the Gmail app, tap the hamburger menu in the upper corner and choose "Settings." After that, tap on the account you want to block spy trackers on, and then scroll down and choose "Images."
Finally, select the "Ask Before Displaying External Images" option.
If you're using Yahoo, log into your Yahoo account, click the gear button in the right-hand corner, and then select "More Settings."
After that, select "viewing email" and then go to the "Show Images in Messages" menu. From there, choose "Ask before Showing External Images."
If you're looking for an email provider that automatically blocks spy trackers for you, HEY is a good option as it has several layers of defense that can catch 98% of spy trackers.
Should a spy tracker get through those defenses, the pixel will have to go through HEY's servers, which would never leak a user's IP address.
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