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See what Google knows about you

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Re: See what Google knows about you

#31

Post by rachelbythebay »

extension wrote: post #29
mcormier wrote: post #22

It's transparent but definitely not user friendly. When you opt out it uses a cookie so if your cookies get deleted you need to opt out again. Also, since opting out uses a cookie you must opt out on every browser on every machine you use. Definitely not convenient.

How else could it be done?

You'd need some kind of browser extension (aha!) to purposely keep that placeholder cookie set. Then you've just traded one problem for another.

Now, if the browser came with it, and defaulted to on, then we'd really have something to talk about.

Re: See what Google knows about you

#32

Post by Andrew_Quentin »

tseabrooks wrote: post #26
danielharan wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious. Why do you want ads shown to you NOT be targeted? Unless you're using adblock, you should be seeing a whole bunch of crappy ads for fat-loss solutions, IQ tests, "Which way is this mannequin turning?", etc... (Disclaimer: I co-founded a company now helping companies target ads. People opting out won't harm me economically, but I'm really trying to understand people's objections).

As a consumer I'm with you. If google is going to be showing me Ad's anyway... I'd rather they target them for me. It's not like opting out means they don't have giant warehouses of data on me or that they won't show me any ads. I guess I don't see what the potential up-sides are to opting out.

Being introduced to new things you did not know existed.

Re: See what Google knows about you

#35

Post by lallysingh »

This is my full list, and none of it is surprising. I'm just glad they don't assume I'm older :-)

  Arts & Entertainment - Movies - Science Fiction & Fantasy Films
  Computers & Electronics 
  Computers & Electronics - Hardware - ... - Chips & Processors
  Computers & Electronics - Hardware - ... - Sound & Video Cards
  Computers & Electronics - Hardware - Laptops 
  Computers & Electronics - Programming 
  Computers & Electronics - Software - Operating Systems - Linux & Unix
  Internet & Telecom - Web Services - Web Hosting & Domain Registration
  Jobs & Education - Education - Vocational & Continuing Education 
  Online Communities - Social Networks 
  Demographics - Age - 25-34
  Demographics - Gender - Male
Honestly I don't know why this level is surprising. I think as the world gets more connected, the community is gonna get a little smaller (in feel, at least), and we're going to become less anonymous. If the bad guys get less anonymous too, and nobody pretends that this stuff is sufficient to definitely identify me, I don't see a problem. Yup, big "ifs."

Re: See what Google knows about you

#36

Post by bbarthel »

danielharan wrote: post #20
gst wrote: post #13

"Your categories: You have opted out of Google's interest-based advertising. No interest categories are associated with your browser." To opt-out just go here: http://www.google.com/ads/preferences/html/intl/en/plugin/

I'm curious. Why do you want ads shown to you NOT be targeted? Unless you're using adblock, you should be seeing a whole bunch of crappy ads for fat-loss solutions, IQ tests, "Which way is this mannequin turning?", etc... (Disclaimer: I co-founded a company now helping companies target ads. People opting out won't harm me economically, but I'm really trying to understand people's objections).

Privacy - Normally my interests are more technology-oriented, so I would expect my ads to target computers and technology. However, every year around the holidays and my wife's birthday my browsing takes a more practical turn. If she were to hop on my laptop and notice that all my ads are now for jewelry, it doesn't take a genius to put 2+2 together, and the surprise is ruined. And this is just a benign example of how targeted ads might "leak" undesired information to third parties (imagine some of the more embarrassing things that might be targeted).

Quality - My experience with targeted ads usually involves them lagging behind my purchase or interest. So if I set out to buy a new saw, by the time I start getting ads related to new saws, I have already purchased it. Everybody loses (Advertisers waste money targeting a purchase I already made, and I keep seeing ads for a product I don't need anymore).

Both of these scenarios occurred recently, and I don't really know a good solution to the problem.

Re: See what Google knows about you

#37

Post by divtxt »

girl25haXe wrote: post #33

Me: Male from 35 to 44, no other information: That's not correct, I am a girl of 25.

Me: Male, 65+

I'm in my late 30s.

They have my interests as Business News & Finance (correct), but no Tech (incorrect), so perhaps the ad system is guessing age & gender from interests?

Re: See what Google knows about you

#39

Post by beaumartinez »

extension wrote: post #29
mcormier wrote: post #22

It's transparent but definitely not user friendly. When you opt out it uses a cookie so if your cookies get deleted you need to opt out again. Also, since opting out uses a cookie you must opt out on every browser on every machine you use. Definitely not convenient.

How else could it be done?

An HTTP header.
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