System and method for improved opt-out recognition for a mobile device
A technique for identifying an opt-out status for a user's mobile or other computing device without relying exclusively on client-side storage or primarily on the use of non-determinative mechanisms is discussed. Embodiments provide server-based or otherwise hosted techniques of accurately identifying devices of users that wish to opt-out of having their device activity tracked. These techniques enable accurate identification of a device's opt-out status even in the absence of a client-side opt-out indicator.
1 . A computing-device implemented method for associating opt-out status to a unified identifier (“Unified ID”) for a computing device, comprising:
associating, in a storage location, a plurality of unique verification identifiers with a Unified ID for the computing device;
receiving a request from the computing device at a host server for an opt-out status for tracking of the computing device;
identifying with the host server a first unique verification identifier for the computing device;
verifying the Unified ID by matching the first unique verification identifier for the computing device to one of the plurality of unique verification identifiers in the storage location;
assigning the opt-out status for the computing device to the Unified ID, the opt-out status stored in the storage location and associated with the Unified ID and the plurality of unique verification identifiers;
receiving a subsequent request at the host server from the computing device; and
processing the subsequent request based on the assigned opt-out status, the host server not storing a record of device activity related to the request.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a mobile device.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a non-mobile device.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of unique verification identifiers includes anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is an email address, physical address and/or phone number.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an additional request for a resource from the computing device;
determining that one of the plurality of unique verification identifiers is no longer valid for the computing device but that a new replacement verification identifier exists; and
replacing the determined one of the plurality of unique verification identifiers that is no longer valid in the storage location with the new replacement verification identifier.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the new replacement verification identifier is a new SIM card address for the computing device.
8 . A non-transitory medium holding executable instructions for associating opt-out status to a unified identifier (“Unified ID”) for a computing device, the instructions when executed by one or more processors on one or more computing devices causing the one or more computing devices to:
associate, in a storage location, a plurality of unique verification identifiers with a Unified ID for the computing device;
receive a request from the computing device at a host server for an opt-out status for tracking of the computing device;
identify with the host server a first unique verification identifier for the computing device;
verify the Unified ID by matching the first unique verification identifier for the computing device to one of the plurality of unique verification identifiers in the storage location;
assign the opt-out status for the computing device to the Unified ID, the opt-out status stored in the storage location and associated with the Unified ID and the plurality of unique verification identifiers;
receive a subsequent request at the host server from the computing device; and
process the subsequent request based on the assigned opt-out status, the host server not storing a record of device activity related to the request.
9 . The medium of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is a mobile device.
10 . The medium of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is a non-mobile device.
11 . The medium of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the plurality of unique verification identifiers includes anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information.
12 . The medium of claim 11 , wherein the anonymized or hashed personally identifiable information is an email address, physical address and/or phone number.
13 . The medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the one or more computing devices to:
receive an additional request for a resource from the computing device;
determine that one of the plurality of unique verification identifiers is no longer valid for the computing device but that a new replacement verification identifier exists; and
replace the determined one of the plurality of unique verification identifiers that is no longer valid in the storage location with the new replacement verification identifier.
14 . The medium of claim 13 , wherein the new replacement verification identifier is a new SIM card address for the computing device.