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>Care to name some benefits? Improved ad targeting may increase revenue for the website, and will improve ad relevance for the end-user. This was historically

>Care to name some benefits? Improved ad targeting may increase revenue for the website, and will improve ad relevance for the end-user. This was historically seen as a win-win; particularly if it allows a service to remain free to use. I often get ads for programming IDEs, which I don't mind that much. I'd rather have them than beauty products, or other irrelevant items. Not that it's actually possible to discuss the pros and cons of targeting anymore. It's become a religious issue to too many people.

rosser 8y ago
Not to imply that there aren't strong feelings around the subject, but don't you think calling it a "religious issue" might preemptively poison discussion a bit?
- SquareWheel 8y ago
  I agree it might have been too snippy, but I was hoping to offer pause before somebody jumped in to explain how black and white the issue really is. I hope that addressing these strong feelings may help temper the issue, rather than poison it.
- ThomPete 8y ago
  I am being downvoted quite heavily for asking the question so i would say it is pretty religious.
  - majortennis 8y ago
    how do you downvote on HN ?
    - SquareWheel 8y ago
      There's a karma threshold before you're granted the ability. 500 karma, maybe?
craftyguy 8y ago
Websites can fund themselves with ads without having to track everything you do. One idea might be to tailor ads on a particular page to the content on that page. Obviously the reader is interested in the content, else they wouldn't be right there looking at it.
- SquareWheel 8y ago
  I agree this is a good approach, though it's not always possible. It works great for community's like reddit which are interest-based. It isn't so helpful for news websites that cover local events.
  - haskellandchill 8y ago
    Local news works fine with local ads placed by an editor, sourced by some business folk, etc. I think we have engineered everything to the point where things are just worse from a pleasure perspective, though perhaps better in fiscal terms. Now we are designing ads algorithmically based on huge datasets of previous ads and some hacked together generator code. It’s getting worse.
  - throwaway2048 8y ago
    Newspapers and TV channels have functioned for years without tracking everything you do when they use ads. The idea that we NEED tracking or the entire advertising ecosystem collapses is stupid.
    - SquareWheel 8y ago
      >Newspapers and TV channels have functioned for years without tracking everything you do when they use ads. Different medium, different market. >The idea that we NEED tracking or the entire advertising ecosystem collapses is stupid. Nobody made that claim. I said it may increase revenue for the website, and will improve ad relevance for the end-user. This is exactly the "black and white" arguments I was talking about.
Nursie 8y ago
> This was historically seen as a win-win; 'Historically' this wasn't seen as possible. Presently, it's become incredibly creepy and intrusive. I don't want to see any ads, let alone have entire networks of ad providers keep track of everything I do in an attempt to be the first to help themselves to the contents of my wallet.
pndy 8y ago
> will improve ad relevance for the end-user. Do you really believe that people actually care about how relevant they are? Because I'm pretty sure they don't and most of all, that's not what they want while browsing the web.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
Kiro 8y ago
> It's become a religious issue to too many people. Indeed. I tried to give a very clear and non-provoking answer to a very clear question in a sibling comment but still get downvoted to oblivion.

rosser 8y ago

Not to imply that there aren't strong feelings around the subject, but don't you think calling it a "religious issue" might preemptively poison discussion a bit?

SquareWheel 8y ago
I agree it might have been too snippy, but I was hoping to offer pause before somebody jumped in to explain how black and white the issue really is. I hope that addressing these strong feelings may help temper the issue, rather than poison it.
ThomPete 8y ago
I am being downvoted quite heavily for asking the question so i would say it is pretty religious.
- majortennis 8y ago
  how do you downvote on HN ?
  - SquareWheel 8y ago
    There's a karma threshold before you're granted the ability. 500 karma, maybe?

craftyguy 8y ago

Websites can fund themselves with ads without having to track everything you do. One idea might be to tailor ads on a particular page to the content on that page. Obviously the reader is interested in the content, else they wouldn't be right there looking at it.

SquareWheel 8y ago
I agree this is a good approach, though it's not always possible. It works great for community's like reddit which are interest-based. It isn't so helpful for news websites that cover local events.
- haskellandchill 8y ago
  Local news works fine with local ads placed by an editor, sourced by some business folk, etc. I think we have engineered everything to the point where things are just worse from a pleasure perspective, though perhaps better in fiscal terms. Now we are designing ads algorithmically based on huge datasets of previous ads and some hacked together generator code. It’s getting worse.
- throwaway2048 8y ago
  Newspapers and TV channels have functioned for years without tracking everything you do when they use ads. The idea that we NEED tracking or the entire advertising ecosystem collapses is stupid.
  - SquareWheel 8y ago
    >Newspapers and TV channels have functioned for years without tracking everything you do when they use ads. Different medium, different market. >The idea that we NEED tracking or the entire advertising ecosystem collapses is stupid. Nobody made that claim. I said it may increase revenue for the website, and will improve ad relevance for the end-user. This is exactly the "black and white" arguments I was talking about.

Nursie 8y ago

> This was historically seen as a win-win; 'Historically' this wasn't seen as possible. Presently, it's become incredibly creepy and intrusive. I don't want to see any ads, let alone have entire networks of ad providers keep track of everything I do in an attempt to be the first to help themselves to the contents of my wallet.

pndy 8y ago

> will improve ad relevance for the end-user. Do you really believe that people actually care about how relevant they are? Because I'm pretty sure they don't and most of all, that's not what they want while browsing the web.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

Kiro 8y ago

> It's become a religious issue to too many people. Indeed. I tried to give a very clear and non-provoking answer to a very clear question in a sibling comment but still get downvoted to oblivion.