- For the computer term: Double-click (computing)
DoubleClick (NASDAQ: DCLK (http://quotes.nasdaq.com/asp/SummaryQuote.asp?symbol=DCLK&selected=DCLK)) is an Internet marketing company that coordinates advertisers with other websites to help promote their product or service. They offer different types of online marketing packages for big and small businesses.
History
Listed as DCLK on the NASDAQ, DoubleClick was founded in 1996, and is well established in internet marketing. Their sales are well over US $200 million every year, although 2003 is the first year they made a profit. They are one of the few dot-coms to survive the dot-com bubble burst.
DoubleClick's President is David S. Rosenblatt, its CEO and Director is Kevin P. Ryan. Their global headquarters are located in New York at:
- 111 8 Ave.
10th Floor
New York, NEW YORK 10001
1 212 683-0001
1 212 889-0062
Spyware controversy
DoubleClick is at the center of recent controversy over spyware installed to track users as they travel from website to website and record what commercial advertisements they view and select while browsing. Most people visiting a DoubleClick enabled site are not aware that spyware and cookies are installed that can be used throughout all sites using DoubleClick to track that users transactions, visits, and interests.
Recently, DoubleClick garnered some negative publicity from privacy advocates when they merged with Abacus Direct. The main problem was a possible invasion of privacy. The data collected by DoubleClick.com combines an individual IP address with a user's surfing habits. However, with the merger with Abacus Direct, an IP address can be matched with more recognizable personal information such as name.
Some fringe groups claim that DoubleClick can read sensitive system files such as a browser's cache, cookies left by other websites, and Microsoft's "index.dat".
Some individuals have been so concerned about their privacy they have prevented their computers from retrieving or sending information to DoubleClick by editing their hosts file and installing AdBlock which works with web browser software made by Mozilla.
Despite the negative publicity, DoubleClick.com is still among the top visited sites on the Internet (i.e. being ranked #34 on Alexa).
External Links
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
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