The Data Dimension behind Instagram’s Tracking Pixel

By Thais De Castro Oliveira Lima

Topic: Digital Traces

Medium: Object

Material: Cardboard

Institute: Politecnico di Milano

Year: a.a. 2023-2024

“A pixel for your thoughts” uses Instagram’s tracking pixel technology as a metaphor to how the social media platform monitors its users’ online browsing behavior to gather information without their consent. This mechanism is a 1x1 pixel embedded in the HTML code, while designed to be transparent or camouflaged in the background color of the website, so that they don’t stand out to users. Consequently, the more we interact online on Instagram, the more a tracking pixel can not only learn about our personality, but also provide that information to advertisement companies for sales purposes.

Featured image of the project The Data Dimension behind Instagram’s Tracking Pixel

Complementary image of the project The Data Dimension behind Instagram’s Tracking Pixel

Metaphor used:

Using Instagram's tracking pixel as a metaphor is a way to represent the existence of an "information drain" or a "window" through which our personal information is going and being manipulated without our consent, on purpose. That creates another dimension, invisible and unreachable to us, but with our own trail of online interactions.

Intended Meaning:

In my opinion bringing to discussion the intentionally hidden tracking pixel mechanism is extremely important in the context of a society that can't be disassociated with the online world anymore. With my project I want to incite awareness and critical thoughts about the way the notion of online privacy just an illusion and it's being violated right in front of our eyes without us being able to see it.

Source:

Meta information files from Instagram account usage.