"The Way the Digital Cookie Crumbles." The Wall Street Journal, July 15, 2012.
From the article: "This use of cookies fuels
the economics of the Web, but it has also caused anxiety as people have had to
reconsider analog-era expectations of privacy to embrace digital-era benefits
of sharing data. A Wall Street Journal report last week caused some
consternation when it revealed how the travel website Orbitz uses data to give
different offers to people who use Apple computers and those using
Windows-based machines.
Data analysts at Orbitz detected patterns showing that Apple users spend up
to 30% more a night on hotels and are likelier to book four- or five-star
lodgings than PC users. Apple users buy more expensive computers, and the
average household income for adult owners of Mac computers is almost $100,000,
compared with about $75,000 for PC owners, according to Forrester.
When Orbitz used these data to feature higher-priced hotels more prominently
in Apple users' search results, privacy lobbyists claimed outrage. But even in
the analog era, readers of this newspaper saw advertisements for different
products and services than readers of less high-end papers.
These uses of personal data can seem a bit creepy, but the evidence also
shows how quickly consumers have gotten used to being tracked. When given the
choice, few consumers opt out of cookies. People accept the benefits of more
relevant ads and more personalized websites in exchange for letting marketers
track their interests." Read more