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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

#141

Post by madmax96 »

oneloop wrote: post #125
dochtman wrote: post #79

Meanwhile, Firefox Sync encrypts your data with a password-derived key so that Mozilla can't even see your browsing history. Consider your choices.

On the other hand, firefox is really sluggish.

    > firefox is really sluggish
Statements like this are very hard to quantify in a meaningful way. Especially on Windows, over a time interval I can notice a definite performance degradation of programs. Often times, completely deleting all program data and reinstalling seems to fix the problem. On GNU + Linux and macOS systems, I've noticed that Firefox is usually snappier to render pages.

But I wouldn't go so far as to suggest that one browser is sluggish -- there are too many environmental variables to have a good discussion on this subject.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#142

Post by neotek »

You can't go to Google and say "I want to buy a dataset (anonymous or otherwise) of males aged between 18 to 34 who likes cars and drink beer".

You can go to Google and say "here's an ad I want you to show to a group of people, none of whom will ever be identifiable to me in any way, who are male aged between 18 to 34 who like cars and drink beer."

That's what I don't understand about all this outrage - nobody, not Facebook or Google or Amazon or Apple, is selling your personal information to anyone for any reason, all they're doing is providing a platform that lets advertisers specify broad categories of people to show ads to. What's the problem with that? Ads will be slightly more relevant to my interests? So what?

To be clear, I completely understand why people don't want Google collecting their data in the first place, and that's a perfectly legitimate concern, I'm saying that once the data is collected, what difference does it make if that data is used to refine which adverts you see?

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#144

Post by xorcist »

corecoder wrote: post #103

I don't know, I'm starting to think that all this is either propaganda for ad sellers or a prank Google, Facebook et all are doing to me. Google has my full search history, all my hangout chats, all my e-mails, and yet: * On my Android, it keeps proposing ultra boring "stories to read" about soccer, wannabe celebrities and YouTube videos of stupid teenagers doing stupid things; * With the sole exception of when the s…

Very true. Customer data is big business, yet year after year it fails to deliver.

Another classic is the repeated ads for the dish washer I just bought, for months at a time. There are glimpses of potential with targeted search results. It can be practical, for example when I search for open source software named after a common word. So the technology is there, but isn't remotely used to its potential.

My only guess is that there is only so many advertisements available in the pipeline at any given moment. It's the 90/10 rule all over again.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#145

Post by elcapitan »

sigi45 wrote: post #138
20andup wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't realize how much data Google had on me until my search terms I used on my laptop was almost immediately available on my smartphone. I felt shocked and kind of stalked as well. The data especially on Android can easily be hacked if someone has the expertise. This made me think how easy it would be for stranger to learn everything about me through my data.

I like that very much. Whenever i'm doing something with my normal chrome -> I'm part of the system and look / am normal. Whenever i wanna do something little bit different, i use incognito mode and a different browser.

Same here. It's basically splitting up internet usage between a 'sync browser' and an 'incognito browser'.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#146

Post by rawfan »

dingo_bat wrote: post #128
lensi wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not move to Firefox? They actually want what's best for us. Check out the Developer Edition.

Because it is slow. For me, just scrolling on the fb news feed is slightly janky, with missed frames all the time. Just can't stand it.

Check out Vivaldi. It uses Chromes blink engine and packs lots of nice features. My subjective impression is that it's also faster and consumes less memory.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#147

Post by PunchTornado »

neotek wrote: post #142

You can't go to Google and say "I want to buy a dataset (anonymous or otherwise) of males aged between 18 to 34 who likes cars and drink beer". You can go to Google and say "here's an ad I want you to show to a group of people, none of whom will ever be identifiable to me in any way, who are male aged between 18 to 34 who like cars and drink beer." That's what I don't understand about all this outrage - nobody, not F…

because it is very annoying to see everywhere on your computer ads for pillows for a month only because you've searched for pillows on google shopping. and i'm not talking only about browser, but every app that has ads, like skype.

I was going crazy. never search on google shopping again on chrome.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#149

Post by PunchTornado »

sesutton wrote: post #25

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 .

do you know the meaning of opt-in? because it is clearly opt-out.

Re: Google will use Chrome browsing data for ad tailoring

#150

Post by abenga »

dingaling wrote: post #70
themartorana wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I don't know ... thinking selfishly, I'm employed and paid by a a corporation that uses advertises to increase revenues from their products/services. As are almost everyone else here. Even the "altruistic" non-profits and whatever are largely funded by the very same corporations. Will there ever be a time when economic activity is largely carried out by people and organizations that do not seek profit? If advertising increases said economic activity, isn't it a good?
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