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Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

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Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not convinced it's opt-in. I just visited that page, and everything was switched on. I can't profess to having a perfect memory, but I can say that opting in would have been pretty out of character thing for me to do.

Ad personalization is on by default. The checkbox that says: > Also use Google Account activity and information to personalize ads on these websites and apps and store that data in your Google Account Should be off if you didn't opt-in though. I just tested it with a new Google account and it was off after I opted out.

"Not opting in" is very different than "opting out".

"Not opting in" implies you are are opted out by default. Thus everyone's negative reaction.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#64
post #54

Dear 2016, You haven't figured it out yet, but we consider advertising unethical. Yours, 2066

Do you have any other ideas of how browsers are going to make money? Without charging their customers?

Nope - we thought that wasn't quite needed since they were being set up as a public service, not a monetization platform.

We need a project like the Linux kernel, except for a good browser.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#66

The way the screenshot is cropped is misleading. The actual page makes it clear this feature is opt-in. If you're logged into a Google account and haven't already made a choice on the page you can see it at http://www.google.com/settings/ads .

It's explicitly not "opt-in" since the default setting is turned to "on" (tested with multiple accounts) without any prompting. Opt-out is better than nothing, but it's a pretty suspect move to say "oops, you were accidentally opted in to something that would make us money without your permission."

I'd respect them a lot more if they came right out and said "let us sell your data or start paying for our services." That would at least be a fair choice, and I'd be happy(ish) to pay google 10 bucks a month if they promised not to sell my information on the side.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#67
post #53

There's Chromium Inox[0] which is just a patchset on top of the Chromium build to remove much of the mothership home-calling. Inox seems to be much closer to Chromium than many of the other Chrome-privacy spinoffs. Contrary to popular belief, Chromium still has a lot of Google in it. I always feel like artificially patching a project that doesn't care about your concerns natively to be plugging holes in a sponge boat…

"a project that doesn't care about your concerns..."

Unless the concerns are always "more features"... forever. Any new features will do, so long as the project keeps growing. The more changes and updates the better.

I could put Microsoft Windows in this category along with hundreds of other projects. Chrome is deceptive because it has some useful features... but ultimately this browser is the tool of advertisers. Because they are the only hand that feeds the Google.

These folks are not aligned with my concerns. They cannot be. It is a conflict if interest. Will Chrome use my DNS server instead of Google's? Why should it? It's not my browser to control.

At one point the Googlers put a resolver into Chromium. I think they removed it but just the idea they considered this was enough to scare me away permanently.

I enjoyed the spongeboat analogy. One can use a patched alternative. One can write extension after extension to modify default behaviour. At some point it becomes a losing battle and a waste of time. The browser is designed and maintained by an advertising company.

Avoiding mothership home-calling is a wonderful way to navigate a world with too many software choices. It makes choosing software much easier. Because not many projects today consider home-calling a legitimate concern.

When you do find a project that fits your values, that you know will not change to suit advertisers, it can be a software you can stick with as things and times change. At least this has been my experience.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#68

While I am able to switch to another browser (I already did a long time ago), I don't believe I can avoid visiting sites "that show ads from Google". How much can Google collect from those sites?

Firefox has a “tracking protection” setting which blocks these types of third party trackers.

Which is default-enabled in Private Browsing, and you can enable it for normal browsing as well by setting "privacy.trackingprotection.enabled" in about:config to true. A GUI-toggle for this should make it into Stable in the next few releases...

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#70
post #54

Dear 2016, You haven't figured it out yet, but we consider advertising unethical. Yours, 2066

I can't imagine this will be true. What's wrong with advertising? It's how I know about things! The depths to which advertisers go to with tracking feels rather unethical at times, however.

> What's wrong with advertising?

It is psychological warfare, conducted by corporations instead of States. But the objective is the same; trick you into changing your behavior to benefit them.

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