Which of the following is an example of indirect tracking?

Indirect tracking refers to methods of monitoring or collecting data about users that do not involve direct observation of their behavior in real-time. The chosen example illustrates this concept effectively.

When a company analyzes purchase history based on app usage, it does not observe the individual actions of the user directly while they are on the app. Instead, it collects aggregate data from users’ interactions over time and infers patterns or behaviors related to purchases. This method involves analyzing how users engage with the app in a broader context, rather than observing user clicks or interactions directly.

The other examples provided involve more immediate or direct methods of tracking user behavior. For instance, directly monitoring user clicks reflects explicit observation of user action at that precise moment, while cookies track browsing activity directly tied to an individual’s sessions. Tracking social media engagement metrics also typically involves monitoring user interactions with content in a direct manner, such as likes, shares, or comments. These methods focus on immediate user behavior, differentiating them from the indirect nature of analyzing patterns based on broader usage data.