News of these Web bugs (also called
HTML bugs) has exploded over the past couple of days, but they've been around in a less sophisticated form for about a year and a half. Their first exposure to the harsh light of the mainstream came in the following Washington Post article:
"Until recently, almost no one but computer specialists had heard about Web bugs, often known in the trade as 'clear GIFs.' But with exploding interest in target marketing on the Internet — and several companies poised to begin identifying computer users by name — Web bugs have suddenly drawn the attention of advertisers, government officials and privacy advocates."
—Robert O'Harrow Jr., "Fearing a Plague of 'Web Bugs'; Invisible Fact-Gathering Code Raises Privacy Concerns," The Washington Post, November 13, 1999
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