Originally Posted by
Prospero
I read this item on the BBC news website this morning. If this is true, should we be concerned?
No. At is most basic level it will be used to split test different subject lines to see which version got the most opens. A few more steps advanced and it could be used to see what device you usually open emails on and use templates with a better experience for your device. Or see what time of day you usually open your emails and send it then. Or send you a followup email if you didn't click on a link in an email you previously opened. And even if they could see street level data of where you opened the email (which in 99% of case they couldn't) - BA already have your address, passport number and so on!
They should not be treated the same as trackers which follow you around different websites to profile you in order to serve targeted ads. I feel that 'spy pixel' is an unfair term. The whole article reads like a PR for the Hey! email service (which itself is nothing to write home about).