3 ms·

Is there anything inherently bad about a site using your data to serve you more relevant ads, as long as your data is not passed on to a 3rd party?

djrogers 9y ago
Show me a site that gathers data about me directly, transparently, and without any creepy cross-site tracking, and I’ll consider your question. Unfortunately that’s not how anyone works.
e12e 9y ago
I'd say that highly targeted ads are harmful, as it's more likely to undermine the viewer (eg: political ads tweaked based on current family situation/emergencies derived from data mining). Eg: target people who recently lost loved ones to an attack by one of our times typical "lone gunmen" by ads advertising increased surveillance as a way to mitigate "terrorist" attacks. Or substituting in first names of friends in paid content ("<person with same name as your friend> give the following reasons to vote x!/buy this"). Not to mention that if advertising works - then it undermines the idea of a free marked where purchases are made by informed independent agents (I think that's a fantasy anyway, but it seems to be a somewhat popular idea).
danieldk 9y ago
Is there anything inherently bad about a site using your data to serve you more relevant ads, as long as your data is not passed on to a 3rd party? Is there anything inherently bad about a stalker passively observing and recording your every move, as long as they don't disturb your daily routine or pass the data along? Even if you find the stalking behavior (cross-site tracking) of ad companies acceptable, there is a significant risk that your data leaks or is stolen. So, I should be able to decide who I trust with saving intimate data and who I don't.
icebraining 9y ago
Except we know that not passing data is a pipe dream. Between hacks and governmental abuses, no company can promise that, no matter how honest they are.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

djrogers 9y ago

Show me a site that gathers data about me directly, transparently, and without any creepy cross-site tracking, and I’ll consider your question. Unfortunately that’s not how anyone works.

e12e 9y ago

I'd say that highly targeted ads are harmful, as it's more likely to undermine the viewer (eg: political ads tweaked based on current family situation/emergencies derived from data mining). Eg: target people who recently lost loved ones to an attack by one of our times typical "lone gunmen" by ads advertising increased surveillance as a way to mitigate "terrorist" attacks. Or substituting in first names of friends in paid content ("<person with same name as your friend> give the following reasons to vote x!/buy this"). Not to mention that if advertising works - then it undermines the idea of a free marked where purchases are made by informed independent agents (I think that's a fantasy anyway, but it seems to be a somewhat popular idea).

danieldk 9y ago

Is there anything inherently bad about a site using your data to serve you more relevant ads, as long as your data is not passed on to a 3rd party? Is there anything inherently bad about a stalker passively observing and recording your every move, as long as they don't disturb your daily routine or pass the data along? Even if you find the stalking behavior (cross-site tracking) of ad companies acceptable, there is a significant risk that your data leaks or is stolen. So, I should be able to decide who I trust with saving intimate data and who I don't.

icebraining 9y ago

Except we know that not passing data is a pipe dream. Between hacks and governmental abuses, no company can promise that, no matter how honest they are.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]