Internet Protocol address

The Internet Protocol address (IP address) of a device is the place where it lives on the internet. Although groups of devices often share IP addresses, they are analogous to a telephone number in their purpose and structure. IP addresses can be seen by websites at the moment content is requested, creating the scope for certain forms of targeting of website content or tracking of the user’s behavior. These techniques have existed since the start of the web, although only moved into the mainstream of web marketing after 2000. In many countries databases of IP addresses that correspond to geographical locations have been made. These can be used to target website content and advertising to people of a certain country, region or smaller district and websites can track this data whether or not cookies are used – although these addresses are typically less reliable in identifying a user than cookies because computers and proxies may be shared by several users, and the same computer may be assigned different IP addresses in different work sessions. See also: Cookie, Behavioral targeting.