33 replies to this topic

[David Meadows]

Earlier in the week I was shopping around online for HP920 ink cartridges. I visited a couple of sites to compare prices, one of which was Viking office supplies. I didn't buy from Viking, their price was good but I went with another supplier that I already had an account with. But I did visit Viking and run a search for "HP920".

So what? So this:






That's a screen grab from an article I've just visited on the Guardian web site at http://www.guardian....ooks?CMP=twt_gu

Notice that it's got an ad for HP920 ink cartridges from Viking office supplies.

Coincidence? Or are they really out to get me?

[garjones]

They do this stuff all the time. Many sites I go to offer me expat offers. They just follow your cookies to see what you've looked at and target advertising. You can just use an ad blocker.

The biggest question I always have is if they can be that clever why are Amazon recommendations so random?

[craggy]

yeah, the funny thing is, I get ads telling me to go to sites I already know about and I've already been to. I'd think advertising works better if you tell people about stuff they've not already looked at and either bought, or decided against.

[njerry]

Is that why I keep getting ads for penis enlargement?

[David Meadows]

yeah, the funny thing is, I get ads telling me to go to sites I already know about and I've already been to. I'd think advertising works better if you tell people about stuff they've not already looked at and either bought, or decided against.

Yes, there did seem to be a flaw in telling me about a site they know I've already been to.

[The Lorcan Nagle]

I've been getting ads for the Gatwick Express bloody everywhere since looking up details of it in advance of our trip to London a few weeks ago.

[David Meadows]

I'm not clear on how this can be legal. Surely a cookie stored on my computer is on my personal property and nobody can come and read it without permission, any more than they could walk into my living room and read my comics without me inviting them in.

I don't recall opting in to a "come and hack my computer" scheme on either the Guardian or the Viking sites.

How is it possible that this has never been challenged in the courts?

[The Lorcan Nagle]

Rather than reading cookies off your computer, they're probably basing the ads on searches done from your IP address (of if you're logged into google from your ID), with the info being shared across google adsense.

[David Meadows]

I never log into Google, so it must be the IP thing. I never considered that before, but it's pretty obvious really. They already know my IP address has visited their site so when they see it again visiting a site where they have advertising... hmm... it's obvious, but still clever.

[Nicholas Taggart]

If you look at your Google ad preferences (which you can find just by Googling) it tells you what gender and age demographic Google thinks you are and what kind of things it thinks you are into. It can be pretty amusing.


Or you can just go here
www.google.com/ads/preferences

[David Meadows]

Oh my god

Your categories
Below you can review a summary of the interests and inferred demographics that Google has associated with your cookie. You can remove or edit your categories at any time.


Arts & Entertainment - Events & Listings - Concerts & Music Festivals

Arts & Entertainment - Movies - Science Fiction & Fantasy Films

Arts & Entertainment - Music & Audio - Rock Music - Hard Rock & Progressive

Computers & Electronics - Software - Business & Productivity Software

Computers & Electronics - Software - Business & Productivity Software - Spreadsheet Software

Computers & Electronics - Software - Business & Productivity Software - Word Processing Software

Games

Online Communities - Forum & Chat Providers

People & Society





Your demographics
We infer your age and gender based on the websites you've visited. You can remove or edit these at any time.

Age: 45-54
Gender: Male

Edited by David Meadows, 05 April 2012 - 03:07 PM.

[garjones]

They've got you bang on there David.

[Mike]

Heh, my ad cookie thing is turned off. When did I do that I wonder?

[The Lorcan Nagle]

Did you opt out of the various bits and pieces that got changed in Google's recent TOC update? that would have done it.

[craggy]

I'm 18-24! yay for google!

[David Chapman]

Also use a Javascript blocker and forbid Google Analytics.

[Christian U]

No demographic categories are associated with your ads preferences so far. You can add or edit demographics at any time.

Doesn't have any ad preferences for me, either.

What the fuck, Google?!

[Robert B]

Google thinks I am into "movie references" and "indie and alternative music". It knows me better than I know myself!

(It also thinks I'm younger than I actually am....I'd be flattered except I'm not sure that's flattering)

[Steve Sensible]

I too am Google-invisible.

This despite the fact that I have its browser installed on three computers. Dammit Google, what do I have to do to get your attention??

[Todd Gross]

(It also thinks I'm younger than I actually am....I'd be flattered except I'm not sure that's flattering)

Same with me:

Age: 25-34

Google has taken 10+ years off my age!