Targeted advertising on Interweb

[ginsambo]

So I click on the yahoo extended weather forecast and at the top of the page it has a massive ad link to the new Gibson Les Paul Classic Custom

.....What's that about then? If my google and ebay trawling history was shopping for dildos would I have a link to that instead or what?

Is there anything they don't know about me, or is this a pure co-incidence?

Oh...and I also clicked on the link, so now I feel like a right muppet.

[Newc]

Yeah, it's the SOPA - Stop Online Privacy Act. Websites can invade your Cookie jar and see what your interests are and deliver ads based on your surfing habits. I don't like it. Not one bit.

[Maiden89]

Holy shit! The same things have been happening to me. Every website I go to has ads for stuff I've been browsing for.

[Newc]

New World Odor

[Devotee]

You can turn off your Google search history: http://www.google.com/history

[Rsmacker]

If my google and ebay trawling history was shopping for dildos would I have a link to that instead or what?

YES!!! I thought it was a coincidence that there were pop-ups for industrial sized vats of Swarfega, Prep H and the Butt-o-matronic Motorised Anus Plunger workstation/desktop attachment on every screen. That would have spoiled someone's birthday surprise...

[Twitch]

Furthermore, AVG has a Chrome extension that blocks trackers. In addition, you can start an In Private Browsing window in IE and Incognito window in Chrome and FF has it too, but I dont know what its called. Anyhow, it allows tracking cookies for as long as that window is open to fool sites that need cookies enabled then deletes them when the window is closed(as well as your browsing history). If you turn off cookies permanently, some sites will not work, so if you wish to browse and not end up with targeted adds, then browse Incognito, or get AVG and Chrome. And, the targeted ads arent bad unless you search shit youd be embarrassed for someone to see an add for who later uses the computer after you. All it is is a sales scheme.

Ever noticed that the hookup chat site adds conveniently have girls listed as being in your city, like as if it knew, well, thats even simpler, thats all derived from your IP address. Nothing you can really do about those. Ive also seen other adds such as amazing weight loss secrets discovered by X city resident, that just happens to be your city. Same thing, IP related.

If they bother you, take the steps I put forth at the top, otherwise, theyre pretty much harmless.

[Scooter]

I'm ALWAYS getting Zzsounds ads for the new Charvels, not that its a bad thing though. But I've noticed that it relates more to Ebay searches as to what is advertised. Could just be me though. I need a tinfoil hat for my computer I guess.

[RacerX]

No wonder I keep getting ads for random Lexus SC400s!