In a recent analysis conducted by Kaspersky, a staggering 38 billion instances of web trackers collecting user data were detected in the past year. The analysis, spanning July 2023 to June 2024, revealed an average of over one million daily incidents of web trackers monitoring users’ online behavior. This data is collected through sophisticated tracking mechanisms that capture information such as demographics, website interactions, and user behavior, including clicks and time spent on pages.
These trackers, utilized by companies to personalize content, target advertisements, and measure online engagement, are increasingly pervasive across the web. Kaspersky’s Do Not Track (DNT) component, which is designed to block these tracking systems, was crucial in the analysis, helping experts monitor and quantify the extent of data collection activities. The analysis focused on 25 of the most common web tracking services, including major platforms from Google, Microsoft, and New Relic.
Among the findings, Google’s tracking services were dominant across most regions. Google Display & Video 360, a service that supports targeted advertising, led the pack, especially in Asia, where it accounted for over 24% of DNT component triggers. This system’s smallest footprint was found in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), where only 8% of web trackers belonged to Google, due to the prevalence of local tracking services.
Other Google platforms, including Google Analytics and AdSense, also ranked high in the analysis. Google Analytics, which is used to optimize website performance and user experience, saw its largest share in Latin America, with nearly 15% of tracked activity. AdSense, a widely used advertising platform, was most prevalent in the Middle East and South Asia. Even YouTube Analytics, another Alphabet Inc. service, contributed significantly to web tracking, particularly in South Asia and the Middle East.
While Google’s trackers dominated the findings, Microsoft’s services were also prevalent, albeit to a lesser extent. Microsoft trackers were particularly active in Latin America, accounting for just over 3% of tracking detections, with much smaller shares in the CIS and other regions. Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, had a notable presence in Africa, where it represented 8% of detected trackers.
The report also highlighted the rise of regional tracking services in countries with well-developed local internet infrastructures, such as South Korea, Japan, and Russia. In these regions, homegrown tracking systems not only appeared in the top 25 but, in some cases, even surpassed their global competitors.
