Mind Your Own Browser -Averting the watchful eyes of online advertisers

[BridgeTheGap]

Most of us depend on free web services, from Google to Facebook, but unless you’re careful, using them has a price: your privacy. Web advertisers, which keep these sites in business, track what you do online in order to deliver targeted, attention-grabbing ads. Your web browser reveals a surprising amount about you, and advertisers are keen to find out even more.

A new draft report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends the creation of a “Do Not Track” mechanism that would let Internet users choose, with the click of a button, whether to allow advertisers to track them. While this would offer better privacy controls than exist currently, the FTC’s approach falls short, because tracking technology is interwoven into our most popular websites and mobile services. Without tracking, they simply don’t work.

Few people realize that many web ads are tailored using huge amounts of personal data collected, combined, and cross-referenced from multiple sources—an approach known as “behavioral advertising.” Advertisers ferret out clues to where you live, where you work, what you buy, and which TV shows you watch, then refine their ads accordingly.

Behavioral advertising works. A study conducted by Microsoft Research Asia found that users were up to seven times likelier to click on targeted ads than on nontargeted ones. Targeted ads earn much more for websites—an average of $4.12 per thousand views versus $1.98 per thousand for regular ads, according to a study commissioned by the Network Advertising Initiative, a trade group that promotes self-regulation.

Read more: http://www.utne.com/Science-Technology/Mind-Your-Own-Web-Browser.aspx#ixzz1Q1WoWNYF

[frazzled]

1. I hate it when something I've googled shows up in ads

However, am I seven times likelier to click on a targeted ad than a non-targeted one? I make a habit NEVER to click on an ad. Even if I see something interesting, I won't click on the ad but go directly to the web site .... which of course, creates more targeted ads.

[shraby]

2. I never ever click on the ads either. It's disturbing to see ads

for local restaurants, etc. at a totally disconnected site such as at huffpo, here or at dailykos.
It's obvious they are using my browser to locate where I live and that should be made illegal.

[cdsilv]

3. noscript rules n/t

[guyton]

4. IP address

Note they can just use your IP address to get a rough idea of where you're coming in from. No browser snooping required.

Unless of course, you use something like a TOR relay to hide your originating IP address. TOR Challenge

[zacherystaylor]

5. They often announce the town you come from

in there ads; on some occasions I have received ads saying someone from my town has sent me a message when using a computer that they couldn't have known I would be using without computer tracking of some sort. I didn't click on it but the point was obvious.

Marketing research is even worse than that when they target little children as young as 4 or 5; which they often do and the congress passes laws about it; not to protect the children, but to protect the trade secrets of those preying on the children.

[OrwellwasRight]

6. Don't you find that the ads are wrong a lot though?

It kind of gives me comfort when they try to sell me crap I'd never click on, much less buy, in a million years. And I don't use gmail for just that reason. Let 'em keep guessing about me.