The product is based on what the company calls a Persistent
Identification Element, or PIE, which is "tagged to the user's
browser, providing each with a unique ID just like traditional
cookie coding," according to United Virtualities.
The company boasts that PIEs "cannot be deleted by any
commercially available anti-spyware, mal-ware, or adware removal
program" and that they "even function at the default security
setting for Internet Explorer."
Mookie Tenembaum, founder of the US company, said: "All
advertisers, web sites and networks use cookies for targeted
advertising, but cookies are under attack."
Jupiter Media reported last month that as many as 39% of
on-line users may be deleting cookies from their primary computer
monthly.
Tenembaum continued: "From simple frequency capping to the
more sophisticated behavioural targeting, cookies are an essential
part of any on-line ad campaign. PIE will give publishers and
third-party providers a persistent backup to cookies effectively
rendering them unassailable."
It offers two types of PIE: AccuCounter PIE, a cookie
replacement that counts unique users accurately; and Backup PIE, a
PIE that not only counts unique users but also recognises the
visitor and restores any erased cookies.
"The erasing of cookies threatens many cookie-dependent
server-side applications from registration to targeting to traffic
counting," said Mr Tenembaum. "PIEs are a cookie support product
that ensures persistent identification of the users."
Implementation of the PIE technology is instantaneous and
requires the insertion of just a line of code, according to the
company. According to an article about the product by Information
Week, the system relies on a feature of Macromedia Flash MX called
Shared Objects.
The tag placed by the PIE technology is a Shared Object that
contains a unique ID similar to the text found in a cookie.
Information Week notes that, while consumers have learned to delete
cookies, most are unaware of Shared Objects and don't know how to
disable them.
United Virtualities plans to sell its PIE technology to
publishers and networks who are worried about cookies being
deleted.
Clearly the tool, which appears to withdraw control from the
individual, will raise privacy concerns. But in the UK, the serving
of cookies is controlled by law.
The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive)
Regulations of 2003 say that, when storing a cookie or any other
information on a visitor's computer, the visitor must be "given the
opportunity to refuse the storage of or access to that
information."
In effect, these UK Regulations require that web sites give
users information about their use of cookies, and the ability to
delete cookies that have been sent to a user's machine.
OUT-LAW was unable to reach anyone at United Virtualities for
comment at the time of writing. But on the face of it, the PIE
technology appears to interfere with a person's decision to refuse
cookies. And if the PIE technology stores any information on a
user's hard drive, either as a cookie or by any other means, the
user should be given "clear and comprehensive information about the
purposes of the storage of, or access to, that information" –
otherwise the Regulations are breached.
