You might sign up for an account and find that the website requires some data to be submitted within a form, but you will think about the required information. Do you really want to tell this website how much you’re worth or how in debt you are? Then you change your mind and close the page before clicking the Submit button and agreeing to Quicken’s privacy policy.
Researchers have discovered that code from NaviStone used by hundreds of websites, invisibly capture each piece of information as you fill it out in a web form before you could hit ‘Send’ or ‘Submit.’
NaviStone® website visitor tracking technology is changing the way retail and eCommerce companies find new direct mail marketing prospects.
“During a recent investigation into how a drug-trial recruitment company called Acurian Health tracks down people who look online for information about their medical conditions, we discovered NaviStone’s code on sites run by Acurian, Quicken Loans, a continuing education center, a clothing store for plus-sized women, and a host of other retailers. Using Javascript, those sites were transmitting information from people as soon as they typed or auto-filled it into an online form. That way, the company would have it even if those people immediately changed their minds and closed the page. (It’s yet another way auto-fill can compromise your privacy.)”