What Is Email Tracking And How To Block It?

Most people are not aware of the fact that when they get an email, in many cases the sender can get to know what time you open the email. According to The New York Times, several individuals and corporations use codes to know when and where the emails they send are opened.

What is email tracking?

Email tracking usually linked with online marketing campaigns. It lets the person who sent the email find out whether or not the email has been opened and when it has been opened. Since email tracking is not standardized, there is no guarantee about its accuracy.

How does it work?

Three different methods are used to track emails:

• Read receipts (via email applications like MS Outlook or Gmail)
• Email tracking image pixels (web bugs embedded into email content)
• Link Tracking Tags (trackable links embedded into email content)

How To Block Email Tracking?

On Gmail

1. Go to the gear icon present in the main page.
2. Click on Settings.
3. After that, go to the General tab.
4. Locate Images.
5. Click on the following: Ask before displaying external images.
6. Scroll down to the bottom, and click on Save Settings.

In Outlook

1. Open Tools.
2. Click on Options.
3. Go to Preferences and select Email options from the tab.
4. Click on the checkbox next to the following: Read all standard mail in plain text.
5. To add emails containing digital signatures, go to Read all digitally signed mail in plain text and check the box.
6. Open Tools.
7. Click on Preferences.
8. Go to Email Options and select Tracking Options.
9. Click on Never send a response box and check it.

In Outlook Express

1. Double click on Outlook Express and let it launch on the PC.
2. At the top of the window, find the Tools option and click on it.
3. From the pull-down list which will come below Tools, locate and select Options.
4. After that, go to Receipts.
5. In the receipts options, find Never send return receipts and choose it. It will be located below the headline: Returning Read Receipts.
6. After that click on Apply to save the changes.
7. Finally, click on OK to exit from the options prompt.

On an iPhone Device

1. Launch the Settings application.
2. Go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
3. Locate Load Remote Images.
4. Disable it by tapping on the toggle.

On an Android Device

1. Go to the Gmail application.
2. Tap on your account.
3. Go to Images.
4. Choose: Ask before showing.

Use the process given above to block people from tracking your emails. Never click on any doubtful links inserted in an email.

Source:- go-norton.com