Google Is Tracking You
Google has entered the world of online behavioral targeting. The #1 seller of online ads has begun to track individual’s online browsing to determine their interests, then displays ads targeted toward those interests. Now, the ads that individuals see will be more relevant, but what is Google doing to protect user privacy?
According to the New York Times, Google says this new approach will help:
- advertisers reach their audiences more easily
- publishers earn more from their sales
- users see ads that are more relevant to their interests
Here’s how it works: Google uses a cookie to track users as they visit sites that show ads through its AdSense program. Google then assigns those users to categories based on the content of pages they visit, such as “potential car buyer,” “sports enthusiast,” “expectant mother” and so on. Google will then show ads relevant to their interests.
And what are they doing about user privacy? Google is the first to offer users the chance to access and edit the information stored about them or to opt out completely. Privacy advocates praise Google for allowing users access to their profiles, but they also say that Google needs to do more by notifying users that there is an option to access this information in the first place.
The program is currently being tested and is expected to expand quickly.
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