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BPA commissions white paper on Flash cookie privacy

Global auditor of media, BPA Worldwide has commissioned a white paper by Eric Peterson, CEO/Principal Consultant at Web Analytics Demystified, who outlines the reasons for the use of Flash Local Shared Objects (LSOs) in the online marketplace and presents the risks LSOs create from a consumer awareness and privacy perspective.

The white paper, titled “The Use of Flash Objects in Visitor Tracking: Brilliant Idea or Risky Business?” points out that audience measurement is a critical aspect of any business´s online efforts and is fundamental to the evolution of consumer interaction in the digital world.

In response to the decline in accuracy of audience measurement systems resulting from cookie deletion, an increasing number of site owners are turning to a less fragile system Flash Local Shared Objects (LSO). These objects work like “super cookies,” which are dramatically more resilient than cookies due to their implementation and a general lack of knowledge about their existence among consumers.

In Peterson´s opinion, the use of Flash LSOs is a risky business. He notes there is strong evidence that more and more companies are using LSOs in direct conflict with consumer preferences and existing systems designed to control access to information and protect a user´s privacy online. With the attention given to consumer privacy on the Internet at individual and governmental levels, Peterson believes that companies making inappropriate or irresponsible use of the Flash technology are very likely asking for trouble and potentially putting the rest of the online industry at risk of additional government regulation.

The white paper contains background details about LSOs, a case study involving them and recommendations for best practices.

To download the complete white paper free of charge, click here or use the link found on the BPA Worldwide homepage at www.bpaww.com.

About Eric Peterson. In addition to his post at Web Analytics Demystified, Peterson worked in web analytics since the late 1990s in a variety of roles including practitioner, consultant, and analyst for several market-leading companies. He is the author of three best-selling books on the subject, Web Analytics Demystified, Website Measurement Hacks, and The Big Book of Key Performance Indicators, as well as one of the most popular web analytics bloggers at www.webanalyticsdemystified.com.