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Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

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Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#101

Post by alisonkisk »

MereInterest wrote: post #79
lotsofpulp wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6603?hl=en > We will not scan or read your Gmail messages to show you ads.

They've also been asking for birthdays lately, obstensibly to verify age, but with the small print that it will also be used for ad targeting. But don't worry, they say, you can control how your information is used after you add it. On that page, the only option is whether to show the birthday publicly or not. There is no option to disable use for targeted advertising. Oh yeah, and Google frames asking for a birthdat…

You may not like the bevahior, butlt there's no indication of dishonesty there. Quite the contrary.

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#102

Post by joshmn »

baybal2 wrote: post #29

Opt out of VISA marketing https://marketingreportoptout.visa.com/OPTOUT/request.do Second, disable GPS, and cellphone tower ID reporting (root needed.) So Google can't correlate you with sales records. At the moment, there is no way to disable Google AGPS spying on the stock Android. Third, block Google apps from reading your IMEI/IMSI/serial number, so they can't get AGPS data from your cellphone provider if it sell…

My initial response out loud: Holy fuck. This exists?

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#103

Post by eurasiantiger »

Hizonner wrote: post #82
baybal2 wrote: post #29

Opt out of VISA marketing https://marketingreportoptout.visa.com/OPTOUT/request.do Second, disable GPS, and cellphone tower ID reporting (root needed.) So Google can't correlate you with sales records. At the moment, there is no way to disable Google AGPS spying on the stock Android. Third, block Google apps from reading your IMEI/IMSI/serial number, so they can't get AGPS data from your cellphone provider if it sell…

Instead of a list of instructions, it might be nice to have details on how all the things you mention actually work...

That would likely be a much lengthier post with lots of detail. So much that the extent of surveillance would be lost to the reader.

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#104

Post by zikzak »

ancarda wrote: post #47
baybal2 wrote: post #29

Opt out of VISA marketing https://marketingreportoptout.visa.com/OPTOUT/request.do Second, disable GPS, and cellphone tower ID reporting (root needed.) So Google can't correlate you with sales records. At the moment, there is no way to disable Google AGPS spying on the stock Android. Third, block Google apps from reading your IMEI/IMSI/serial number, so they can't get AGPS data from your cellphone provider if it sell…

>VISA marketing Why is this even a thing? Maybe I should just go back to buying everything with cash, it's impossible to keep up with all the crap we need to disable or hack around

A person I work with (very knowledgable about tech and IT) uses a flip phone and cash (as much as possible). If they want to send a gift they buy it locally, pack it up, and ship it. Etc. They don't even bank online. Why? Not sure but they have lots of free time and this is how they choose to spend it (trips to see a teller, back machines, part office visits, using public transport to shop for nearly everything).

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#105

Post by alisonkisk »

rchaud wrote: post #92
lotsofpulp wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6603?hl=en > We will not scan or read your Gmail messages to show you ads.

Amazon went from showing every item in order confirmation emails, to showing none. That tells me they don't believe Google's promises either.

Google isn't the only company that might read your email.

Also, hiding order info is a way to push you back to the store to engage in more Amazon ads.

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#106

Post by alisonkisk »

ConceptJunkie wrote: post #87
lotsofpulp wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6603?hl=en > We will not scan or read your Gmail messages to show you ads.

No, they'll scan it for other reasons... I don't trust Google. They are evil.

What other reasons?

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#107

Post by jeroenhd »

baybal2 wrote: post #29

Opt out of VISA marketing https://marketingreportoptout.visa.com/OPTOUT/request.do Second, disable GPS, and cellphone tower ID reporting (root needed.) So Google can't correlate you with sales records. At the moment, there is no way to disable Google AGPS spying on the stock Android. Third, block Google apps from reading your IMEI/IMSI/serial number, so they can't get AGPS data from your cellphone provider if it sell…

This is the dumbest ad strategy ever. Why on earth would ads about a product you just bought be effective marketing material.

This is like how you get a million ads about dishwashers the day after you Google around and buy one. At least wait for a short duration of time to let the target run out of medicine before adversiting new stuff.

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#108

Post by jeroenhd »

sct202 wrote: post #67

In America, some stores seem to share rewards member information to product companies so they can target their ads on other platforms. For example, I paid for a very specific candy from CVS using my credit card, but used my partner's CVS rewards member number and they got ads on facebook for that candy while I haven't seen a thing.

This feels like it should be illegal if it isn't already.

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#109

Post by jwmoz »

jeroenhd wrote: post #107
baybal2 wrote: post #29

Opt out of VISA marketing https://marketingreportoptout.visa.com/OPTOUT/request.do Second, disable GPS, and cellphone tower ID reporting (root needed.) So Google can't correlate you with sales records. At the moment, there is no way to disable Google AGPS spying on the stock Android. Third, block Google apps from reading your IMEI/IMSI/serial number, so they can't get AGPS data from your cellphone provider if it sell…

This is the dumbest ad strategy ever. Why on earth would ads about a product you just bought be effective marketing material. This is like how you get a million ads about dishwashers the day after you Google around and buy one. At least wait for a short duration of time to let the target run out of medicine before adversiting new stuff.

I still get ads about leather wallets from when I was searching for one like 10 years ago.

Re: Ask HN: I bought Voltaren at the chemist, now Google shows me ads for it. Why?

#110

Post by newsclues »

jeroenhd wrote: post #107
baybal2 wrote: post #29

Opt out of VISA marketing https://marketingreportoptout.visa.com/OPTOUT/request.do Second, disable GPS, and cellphone tower ID reporting (root needed.) So Google can't correlate you with sales records. At the moment, there is no way to disable Google AGPS spying on the stock Android. Third, block Google apps from reading your IMEI/IMSI/serial number, so they can't get AGPS data from your cellphone provider if it sell…

This is the dumbest ad strategy ever. Why on earth would ads about a product you just bought be effective marketing material. This is like how you get a million ads about dishwashers the day after you Google around and buy one. At least wait for a short duration of time to let the target run out of medicine before adversiting new stuff.

Brilliant if you are selling the ads.
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