When you visit a website, chances are you might know that you’re being tracked to a certain extent for potential advertising and marketing purposes (which is why sometimes you see ads that appear to be catered just towards you). However at some point a line needs to be drawn, which is why a class-action lawsuit has been filed against mattress startup Casper.According to a report from CBS News, the mattress startup has been sued in which the lawsuit alleges that its website illegally collected information on its visitors without their knowledge or consent. This is apparently due to the use of a software called NaviStone, in which New York City resident Brady Cohen later discovered that it managed to collect personal information such as his name and postal address without his consent, and despite Cohen not buying anything from the company after visiting the company’s website several times.
As expected Casper is denying the allegations, and called it a “blatant attempt to cash in on and extort a successful, high-growth startup.” As for NaviStone whose software was used, the company issued a statement that reads, “The first NaviStone heard of this lawsuit was when it was filed. As a result, we have not had the opportunity to speak to the plaintiff or his attorneys about their concerns. We are hopeful that, once that conversation takes place, we can clear up any misunderstandings they may have regarding what NaviStone does — and does not.”
If you’re wondering why this sounds a bit familiar, it is because last month there was a report in which it was discovered by researchers that a number of popular high-profile websites apparently employ “session replay” scripts, which can allegedly record your keystrokes and information while you visit the website, such as the contents of a form even if you don’t press the “submit” button.