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School of Communication and Culture

Janne Nielsen

Experimenting with computational methods for large-scale studies of tracking technologies in web archives

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Experimenting with computational methods for large-scale studies of tracking technologies in web archives. / Nielsen, Janne.
In: Internet Histories: Digital Technology, Culture and Society, Vol. 3, No. 3-4, 10.2019, p. 293-315 .

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Vancouver

Nielsen J. Experimenting with computational methods for large-scale studies of tracking technologies in web archives. Internet Histories: Digital Technology, Culture and Society. 2019 Oct;3(3-4):293-315 . Epub 2019 Oct 9. doi: 10.1080/24701475.2019.1671074

Author

Nielsen, Janne. / Experimenting with computational methods for large-scale studies of tracking technologies in web archives. In: Internet Histories: Digital Technology, Culture and Society. 2019 ; Vol. 3, No. 3-4. pp. 293-315 .

Bibtex

@article{e18ab8c486134d6abf309dd86903ac6f,

title = "Experimenting with computational methods for large-scale studies of tracking technologies in web archives",

abstract = "The use of tracking technologies to collect data about web users and their online behaviour has played an important role in the development of the web. Most studies of tracking examine the current extent of tracking on popular websites on the online web, while historical studies are rare. Large-scale historical studies of web tracking are important for a more comprehensive understanding of the development, spread and implications of tracking technologies across the web. Historical studies of tracking are challenged by the lack of access to the original data flows in the tracking and by the characteristics of the archived web. This article proposes an approach to a web historiography of tracking, which focusses on the potentials of analysing the source code and metadata, which can be processed on a large scale. Using the archived Danish web as a case, the article describes an approach to studying web beacons in historical web data using computational methods, and showcases how experimenting with new approaches can bring new knowledge about the historical development of web tracking but also about the significance of understanding the technical aspects of archiving and archived web when using sources like source code, crawl logs and indices as data.",

author = "Janne Nielsen",

year = "2019",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1080/24701475.2019.1671074",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

pages = "293--315 ",

journal = "Internet Histories: Digital Technology, Culture and Society",

issn = "2470-1475",

publisher = "Taylor & Francis ",

number = "3-4",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Experimenting with computational methods for large-scale studies of tracking technologies in web archives

AU - Nielsen, Janne

PY - 2019/10

Y1 - 2019/10

N2 - The use of tracking technologies to collect data about web users and their online behaviour has played an important role in the development of the web. Most studies of tracking examine the current extent of tracking on popular websites on the online web, while historical studies are rare. Large-scale historical studies of web tracking are important for a more comprehensive understanding of the development, spread and implications of tracking technologies across the web. Historical studies of tracking are challenged by the lack of access to the original data flows in the tracking and by the characteristics of the archived web. This article proposes an approach to a web historiography of tracking, which focusses on the potentials of analysing the source code and metadata, which can be processed on a large scale. Using the archived Danish web as a case, the article describes an approach to studying web beacons in historical web data using computational methods, and showcases how experimenting with new approaches can bring new knowledge about the historical development of web tracking but also about the significance of understanding the technical aspects of archiving and archived web when using sources like source code, crawl logs and indices as data.

AB - The use of tracking technologies to collect data about web users and their online behaviour has played an important role in the development of the web. Most studies of tracking examine the current extent of tracking on popular websites on the online web, while historical studies are rare. Large-scale historical studies of web tracking are important for a more comprehensive understanding of the development, spread and implications of tracking technologies across the web. Historical studies of tracking are challenged by the lack of access to the original data flows in the tracking and by the characteristics of the archived web. This article proposes an approach to a web historiography of tracking, which focusses on the potentials of analysing the source code and metadata, which can be processed on a large scale. Using the archived Danish web as a case, the article describes an approach to studying web beacons in historical web data using computational methods, and showcases how experimenting with new approaches can bring new knowledge about the historical development of web tracking but also about the significance of understanding the technical aspects of archiving and archived web when using sources like source code, crawl logs and indices as data.

U2 - 10.1080/24701475.2019.1671074

DO - 10.1080/24701475.2019.1671074

M3 - Journal article

VL - 3

SP - 293

EP - 315

JO - Internet Histories: Digital Technology, Culture and Society

JF - Internet Histories: Digital Technology, Culture and Society

SN - 2470-1475

IS - 3-4

ER -