Yahoo has provided comprehensive information about its data collection practices and cookie usage across its extensive family of brands and digital properties. The tech company operates multiple popular websites and mobile applications that millions of users access daily for news, entertainment, and various online services.
The Yahoo family of brands encompasses several well-known digital platforms, including the flagship Yahoo website, AOL, the technology news site Engadget, lifestyle platform In The Know, and the DIY-focused Makers platform. These sites and apps are all owned and operated directly by Yahoo, creating a unified ecosystem of digital services under the company's umbrella.
When users interact with any of Yahoo's sites and applications, the company employs cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance the user experience. These cookies, which include related technologies such as web storage capabilities, enable website and app operators to store and retrieve information from users' devices. Yahoo has made detailed information about these practices available in its comprehensive cookie policy for users who want to learn more about how their data is handled.
The company uses these tracking technologies for several specific purposes that are essential to maintaining secure and functional digital services. Yahoo employs cookies to provide seamless access to its sites and apps, authenticate users to ensure account security, implement various security measures to protect user data, and prevent spam and abuse across its platforms.
Yahoo also conducts detailed measurement and analytics of user behavior across its digital properties. The company tracks the number of visitors to its web pages, identifies the types of devices users employ to access content (specifically noting whether users are on iOS or Android platforms), monitors which web browsers visitors use, and measures how long users spend on Yahoo's websites and mobile applications. This comprehensive data collection allows Yahoo to better understand user preferences and improve its services accordingly.
Importantly, Yahoo emphasizes that all measurement data is collected and stored in aggregate form, meaning it is not tied to specific individual users or their personal identities. This approach allows the company to gain valuable insights into user behavior patterns while maintaining user privacy by avoiding the creation of detailed individual user profiles based on this analytical data.
