Web Browser Data Collection and User Awareness Regarding Web Browser Data Exposure

The World Wide Web has been transformed from a collection of hyperlink-connected documents to a global application platform. During this transformation process the role of users has changed from passive readers to contributors, collaborators and interactive users who have made their (personal) data a valuable resource for web applications. We present the possibilities and methods of browsers and user devices data collection via a dedicated web application and the analysis of user awareness regarding the possibility of collecting such data. The results show that web applications can retrieve a large amount of data about browsers and devices without the user's permission. Furthermore, our research showed that users are well aware of data collection possibilities.