Many people don’t realize there are different forms of data tracking (such as them logging how much you talk to another number per month or the number of pages you view on your web browser) and then there are some truly scary things like tracking each and every little thing you do. Not all tracking from the company’s perspective is bad; that data can and is used to help make experiences better for users based on the usage.

Not saying that companies won’t be bad actors, and not all of them have good intentions, but it’s best to remove fear from the equation and objectively take a look at what is going on here. Sadly this is usually easier said than done, but we need to strive to at least provide consumers with more information. I commend efforts by publishers like Economist.com who actively notify their users when they get to the site that they are a) using cookies and b) explaining how they are using cookies. Google has provided a great resource with their Good To Know series, but I wonder how many consumers are actually reading that information and learning about all of this (in my opinion) basic and necessary information you should know as you use the web.