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How does nobody know about these? Shadow profiles have been standard in every large advertising network for 15-20 years at least. If your ad content is on lots
by peterwwillis 8y ago
How does nobody know about these? Shadow profiles have been standard in every large advertising network for 15-20 years at least.
If your ad content is on lots of different web properties, you can "track" a user across each one, inferring data about the user one piece at a time, until you have a large profile. Then you use that profile to target ads/marketing. They never have to directly give you any data, but you can make money off of what you learn.
That's the entire reason "tracking" on the web exists. To build shadow profiles for direct marketing. Nobody thought Facebook was doing it too?
- chiefalchemist 8y agoOne reason could be that FB has __never__ publicly (afaik) positioned itself as an "advertising network." It's also gone on record (afaik) to say it's __not__ akin to traditional (print) publishers. It has said time and again it is a social network, and it's going to save the world. Mind you, I'm not completely naive. I don't trust MZ & SS, but your expectation that every know and understand the inner workings of all the large aadvertising networks feels a bit excessive.
- peterwwillis 8y agoI don't expect most people to know about it, I just find it odd when news outlets make industry knowledge seem like a secret they're only now revealing. "This just in: Door locks on most buildings can be easily picked, film at 11"