This is a difficult one.
We, like many businesses and organisations, use email marketing – in our case MailChimp – and as part of these campaigns we have to operate within the GDPR rules and we like to track how people interact with our marketing materials. This is carried out by having invisible tracking pixels included in the emails.
Is this a privacy issue – may be. But we and every other organisation using email marketing do this, and we have carefully crafted our email lists (again GDPR), we have let people know how and why they are receiving these emails (guess what GDPR) and we give them an opportunity to opt out or opt in, depending on the place in the cycle (you guessed it GDPR). And we are sending them the emails as we think they will be interested in taking advantage of whatever is included in the email as it will benefit them or their organisation in some way.
However do I want an organisation getting information about me when I open an email?
I am sure there are some organisations who abuse tracking pixels and others (like us) who use them for the bare essentials to run and efficient, targeted marketing or information campaign.
Now Apple Mail will block all tracking pixels…
Apple Mail Now Blocks Email Tracking. Here’s What It Means for You | WIRED
Apple Mail Now Blocks Email Trackers – Schneier on Security
Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles
