Am I paranoid about on line advertising?

This morning for the first time, I googled "teak wood"
I went to a web site to check out some things.

Now, this evening, I flip on ATS for the first time today, and bingo, there at the top of the page is an ad from the very site I visited this morning.

So am I just recognizing this ad that has been around all along, or is there a way that I might be targeted by this ad here at ATS.?

reply to post by TerryMcGuire


i am not qualified to preform a psychiatric diagnosis on you

Originally posted by TerryMcGuire
This morning for the first time, I googled "teak wood"
I went to a web site to check out some things.

Now, this evening, I flip on ATS for the first time today, and bingo, there at the top of the page is an ad from the very site I visited this morning.

So am I just recognizing this ad that has been around all along, or is there a way that I might be targeted by this ad here at ATS.?

edit on 10-9-2012 by TerryMcGuire because: (no reason given)

That's just how advertising works. Go look at My Little Pony for a few hours then come back. You'll see.

It's just a cookie.

What happens is this:

When you visit a website that's using Adsense which displays adverts based on your interests (or so it thinks), depending on the content of the websites you visit that use Adsense.

It tries to match the right product offer to the right person.

It's targeted advertising, it's pretty clever stuff but nothing to worry about.

reply to post by newsaddict

So, our online interests can be tracked, then targeted back to us, not just generally, but specifically? For instance, I google left handed scalp massagers, and this information is used to target an ad back at me later. And not to everyone else , but just to me? And every one else is getting personal ads at the same time I am getting mine, except from their own personal online activity?

Originally posted by TerryMcGuire
reply to post by newsaddict

 

So, our online interests can be tracked, then targeted back to us, not just generally, but specifically? For instance, I google left handed scalp massagers, and this information is used to target an ad back at me later. And not to everyone else , but just to me? And every one else is getting personal ads at the same time I am getting mine, except from their own personal online activity?

Unless you use Chrome in incognito mode....

You are not paranoid enough. It has been this way for years and years.
www.nytimes.com...

It's been like that for years. Remember when you used to get loads of porn pop-up and your wife would ask "why are these all over the computer??" - you know why. Because you've been porn browsing and whilst you dumped your load, they dumped their all over your computer.

However, there's something quite worrying about the new way its done. Seems more intrusive.

Also, if i'm searching for a TV - i've a pretty good idea where I want to shop - sometimes do a bit of google research at prices and reviews etc. So some forced ad isn't going to prompt me to think "ooo - an offer specifically for me - i'll stop searching now". Then for the next 2 week after I bought my TV I don't want ads showing me "here you could have bought it cheaper - you could have saved £6".

If the internet is free and open - why can't i use it free an openly without having to use all these add-on to block, tor browser to hide etc.