Do you know what PointRoll is?
PointRoll is an old tracking cookie (it was first detected back in 2009) your web browser might still contain. What is a tracking cookie? No worries, it is definitely not malware. Instead, it can be described as a small plain text file that is stored on users’ computers with the intention of keeping/obtaining some information. Research has shown that it is closely associated with the Sizmek Inc. company, but the company itself does not use this tracking cookie to collect information about users who visit its official website, which suggests that it is mainly used by third parties using the services provided by Sizmek Inc. You may not like how they work, but, technically, tracking cookies are not malicious. Usually, they collect only non-personally identifiable information for statistical purposes. Of course, it does not mean that you cannot remove PointRoll if you are not very happy about its presence on your system. In fact, you can delete all other undesirable cookies from your web browser too. Instructions you will find below this report will help you to remove PointRoll, and they will work too if you decide to get rid of other cookies you have discovered.
There are many advertisers, advertising agencies, publishers, and other companies using Sizmek Inc. services. As a consequence, users might encounter the PointRoll tracking cookie when they visit websites that belong to these customers or when they click on certain commercial advertisements. There is no need to worry if you have encountered PointRoll – no personal information will be recorded: “we never collect information about your actual identity.” This means that this tracking cookie will not be used to obtain your name, address, phone number, email address, or other personal details. Instead, it focuses on the collection of such non-personal details as IP address, some details about the device used, websites visited, advertisements users see and click, and geographic location of the device. Mainly, the collected information is used for advertising purposes. Details about the user’s machine and some other behavioral information provide advertisers with the knowledge regarding users’ interests. Consequently, it is easier for them to decide what advertisements to deliver to you. In case you do not want any information to be recorded about you, you should remove PointRoll right away. In such a case, it would be smart to remove all other active cookies too because they will continue collecting information about you.
Users who discover the Cookies section on their web browsers for the first time often cannot understand why there are so many cookies listed there, but the truth is that a bunch of websites use cookies these days. In some cases, they inform users that cookies are used on the website the first time they open it. Also, a cookie might be dropped on the web browser after viewing a commercial advertisement. As mentioned, they are used to obtain some information about users’ activities, habits, interests, and preferences. In other words, they are not used to obtain personally-identifiable information. If you are one of those users who do not agree to disclose even non-personal details, you should set your default web browser to refuse all cookies. In other words, when you visit a website using cookies, cookies will no longer be placed on the web browser after they are completely disabled on the web browser you use. Additionally, you should not visit any shady websites. You would not want a tracking cookie used by some kind of disreputable company to be dropped on your PC, would you?
Tracking cookies focus on the collection of certain details about users, but it is definitely not a must to keep them. The same can be said about PointRoll. Feel free to remove it today if you do not feel very happy knowing about its presence on your PC. Below-provided instructions will help you to take care of all undesirable cookies for you.
How to remove PointRoll
Internet Explorer
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Del.
- Under Delete Browsing History, mark Cookies and website data.
- Click Delete.
Mozilla Firefox
- Open Mozilla Firefox.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Del.
- Under Clear All History, set the time frame next to Time range to clear.
- Mark Cookies.
- Click Clear Now.
Google Chrome
- Open Google Chrome.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Del.
- Under Clear browsing data, open Advanced.
- Set the desired Time range.
- Mark Cookies and other site data.
- Click Clear data.
In non-techie terms:
If you have spotted PointRoll on your PC, we can assure you that this is not a sign that malicious software has entered the system successfully. Its presence simply shows that you have visited a website or clicked on the advertisement related to one of the Sizmek Inc. company’s customers. This tracking cookie is not malicious, but you have the full freedom to remove it if it bothers you a lot.