Don't creep people out

At some level, everyone knows that the internet is a place where your every move gets tracked by somebody. Especially on those websites where you have to register to access their content.

But don't creep people out. A friend just got an email from KGW.com (that's the NBC affiliate in Portland) with this opening text...

We've missed you. It's been awhile since your last visit to KGW.com and we wanted to let you know what we've been up to. Take a look at all the new and improved features on our site. We've streamlined navigation, upgraded our weather section, added personalization features, added RSS news feeds and much more!

Trust the experts at KGW.com to deliver up-to-the minute local news, award winning content, breaking news, top sports stories and more. Take a minute out of your day to see what you've been missing!

Yeah, you're tracking us. We get it. You're scaring us.

If you're going to do this kind of user-by-user tracking, don't panic your users. It's just plain creepy. Use the data in aggregate form, or for research, don't spook people by telling them that Big Brother is watching.