Make sure you turn this off (Google users)

Re:Make sure you turn this off (Google users) by ryandvm on Monday August 03, 2015 @12:14PM (#9997203)

I'm not sure that it's been conclusively determined that non-targeted advertising is a better outcome for the end-user than targeted advertising.

Assuming that I have to be exposed to advertising, why should I rather receive ads about tampons and mesothelioma class action lawsuits as opposed to advertising that is applicable to a North American, 30-something, male?

(Let us argue the prisoner's dilemma of ad-blocking some other time.)

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Re:Make sure you turn this off (Google users) by joshstrange on Monday August 03, 2015 @12:47PM (#9997601)

I'd argue the same way. I had no clue this screen existed by my first thought wasn't "I'm going to turn this off" but rather "Let me tailor this to myself".

I hate ads in all forms (I'd rather pay 90% of the time) but if I have to see ads might as well see some that might interest me. Thought I really hate seeing ads for things I've already bought and or already pay for (DO/AWS).

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Re:Make sure you turn this off (Google users) by jordonwii on Monday August 03, 2015 @12:18PM (#9997259)

Agreed. I used that tool to explicitly tell Google my interests, and started receiving ads about Django IDEs and other useful things, instead of whatever useless junk I'd been forced to see before.

Edit: formatting.

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Re:Make sure you turn this off (Google users) by fallinghawks on Monday August 03, 2015 @12:32PM (#9997415)

I seem to have unconsciously trained myself not to see ads, especially after seeing ads for sit-stand desks after I had bought one. (Oh yeah, like I need another one of those!)

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Re:Make sure you turn this off (Google users) by abandonliberty on Monday August 03, 2015 @12:23PM (#9997319)

Google is the new evil. Choking off their ad revenue strikes at the very heart of the beast. If we all work together, we can bring the web back to the glorious 90's!

Of course, thoughtless implementations of targeted advertising can cause problems - such as when it outs pregnant teenage daughters to their fathers. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-incredible-story-of-how-t... Allowing users to define what they'd like to see is great.

I am much more concerned about the data required to provide this targeting and how secure it is.

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