Quote:
Originally Posted by bivenator
Can you elaborate what the tracking pixel does.
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It's a generic term for a bunch of different methods but the most basic is a 1 x 1 pixel transparent image embedded in a page or email.
Because your browser needs to load it a request for it is made to the server where it resides.
That creates a log entry that can be used to determine where it was viewed, which site and when.
When used in email it can tell the owner if the piece of mail was opened.
Because it has a URL assigned to it people use them for search engine optimization.
One of the metrics used by search engines in determining ranking is inbound links from relevant sites ie; how many sites with relevant content point to yours.
When used here on Pelican by the "spammers" it's akin to "stuffing the ballot box".
It's got several names, Black Hat
SEO, search engine spam, spamdexing.