Publishers use of tracking cookies

["Abbott, Bruce" <BAbbot@lsuhsc.edu>]

Our IT department has recently blocked the downloading of tracking cookies
on our network.

With this development, I've seen some problems with free, or OA journals.

This question is directed to those of you who have some background with
electronic publishing.  How widespread is the use of tracking cookies with
electronic journals?  Is it restricted to publishers who provide free
content, or do commercial publishers use them as well?

I've only seen a couple of instances where the download was blocked
because the tracking cookie was not allowed, but this happened before I
realized what our IT department had done and did not note the titles.

They are blocking about 100 from places such as servedbyadvertising,
doubleclick, etc.

Bruce Abbott
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Library
433 Bolivar St.
New Orleans, LA 70112

babbot@lsuhsc.edu
504-568-6103 (voice)