Back in around 1998, we just called them "tracking pixels". This was back when email browsers automatically downloaded images embedded in emails. So, we would give every email we sent a unique pixel and the server was configured to keep track of each pixel that was downloaded. That way we knew which emails have been opened and which emails are active/real people.
I wrote a server that only generates dynamic pixels for this purpose.
There was a music industry group in the 1960's or 0's called the Chicago Transit Authority.
Every city had buses and no authority to do anything except tell people who swore to exit the bus. Nobody thought they were equal to the bus driver so they didn't punch the driver. Since they would have all been WW 2 vets, they would have beat anyone who tried.
Rapid transit city trains brought storm troopers, cameras and then the violence.
It's so Stalin of the Metro Transit Authority web page to "want" to know anything about people visiting the web page, and wanting to know where else on the internet they go.
I predict the people who have needlessly assumed a great amount of authority will soon be treated like the bus drivers who get punched
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2449598 0 points 2 monthsFeb 27, 2025 17:43:01 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] Master_Foo
[ - ] Master_Foo 0 points 2 monthsFeb 27, 2025 18:55:33 ago (+0/-0)
This was back when email browsers automatically downloaded images embedded in emails.
So, we would give every email we sent a unique pixel and the server was configured to keep track of each pixel that was downloaded.
That way we knew which emails have been opened and which emails are active/real people.
I wrote a server that only generates dynamic pixels for this purpose.
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 3272613 -1 points 2 monthsFeb 27, 2025 19:15:21 ago (+0/-1)*
Every city had buses and no authority to do anything except tell people who swore to exit the bus. Nobody thought they were equal to the bus driver so they didn't punch the driver. Since they would have all been WW 2 vets, they would have beat anyone who tried.
Rapid transit city trains brought storm troopers, cameras and then the violence.
It's so Stalin of the Metro Transit Authority web page to "want" to know anything about people visiting the web page, and wanting to know where else on the internet they go.
I predict the people who have needlessly assumed a great amount of authority will soon be treated like the bus drivers who get punched