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Mon 30 Sep, 2019 06:33 pm
This is a technical question for someone who is technologically very knowledgeable about internet connections communicating with personal emails. Here's the question and the story to follow:
Question - Is it possible for the Match dot com web browser to communicate with your personal email, giving your updated pictures of people whom you communicated with from years ago without opening your Match dot com account?
Story - The story is, 3 years ago I met my boyfriend on Match dot com. Apparently he saved all of our Match dot com emails from way back then into his personal Gmail. About 6 months ago I broke up with him and I went onto Match dot com for about 2 weeks. I updated my picture. Then the BF and I got back together.
He asked if I was on Match. I explained that I was for a short time, and why was he asking. He said an old Match dot com email he saved in his Gmail showed an updated picture. I asked how did Match dot com communicate to his Gmail, "Were you on Match?" He said he was not on Match but that it updated the picture through a Cookie.
I then said, "I don't know what a Cookie is, can you show me the Gmail?" He opened the Gmail and showed me my updated profile picture. There was an option box to click on to go to the Match dot com site. I asked if he would open his Match account.
At this time he got defensive, asking, "What do you think you're going to find?" I said, "I don't know. If I knew I wouldn't want to open it." He continued with his defensiveness accusing me of attacking his character. I responded saying, "I don't understand the technology, I would like to see how these two systems are communicating with each other."
He proceded to open the Match dot com account. It appeared very empty, and all was well - for me. He, however, continued with defensive angry bullshit and the evening turned into a big argument. I haven't seen him since then and I'm very tired of his games.
So, QUESTION - Is it possible for the Match dot com website to communicate with his Gmail, updating my profile picture, through a Cookie, and never opening his Match account?
Serious answers is appreciated from a techanological knowledgable person if possible. Thanks.
@A widow,
Probably not a cookie, per se. It may be a bit of what's called ad retargeting.
See:
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/retargeting-campaigns-beginner-guide
I realize that's a bit technical, and it's from the POV of an advertiser. But the bottom line is, companies use tech to reel us back in, long after we've left. This is why sometimes you'll be browsing something on Amazon (say, a blouse) and then you see an ad for it on Facebook. That's ad retargeting.
Another possibility is (I have no idea how Match works in this manner) Match attaches an email address and the image which goes along with it. I know I'm not being very clear here, but it may work a bit like a site called gravatar. Through gravatar (which is how the avatars work here, if you don't use the default), you attach an image to an email address. Change the image in one place and, wherever else you've got an image associated with your email address, it'll change.
@A widow,
I agree with Jespah that it is probably not a cookie. However it may be even simpler than what she suggests.
Often when you see images in the email... the images aren't actually in the email. What is the in the email is a URL... something like
https://some_image_storage_site.com/image#12345_cutegirl
When you read your email, your computer then goes to that location to fetch whatever image is there. If the image at that location changes... then it will appear as though the image in the email has changed.
By the way... this is a privacty problem. If I send you an email with a special image in it that is only for you... then I can tell when you read the email. This is the reason that many email programs make you click a button to load the images.
Well great! Thank you for these responses. I really appreciate the info. It will put my mind at ease.
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